
A Fresh Look For A Much-Loved Landmark: Whanganui Regional Museum's New Exterior Colour Scheme Unveiled
The repaint is part of the Whanganui District Council's Long-Term Plan 2024–2034, which includes exterior refurbishment of both the Museum's original 1928 building and its 1968 extension, home also to the Davis Lecture Theatre. The project is currently in Stage One of completion, with work being carried out by Alan Tong Ltd.
Craig Dalgleish, Director of Dalgleish Architects Ltd, and design technician Catherine Macdonald designed the new look - a thoughtful blend of local identity, culture, architecture, and natural elements. Their vision brings a new sense of life and warmth to this significant civic building.
'We wanted the Museum to sit confidently on its corner and announce itself,' says Craig. 'The colours reference Whanganui's natural environment, cultural past, and architectural heritage - but they also reflect optimism and inclusivity. We deliberately moved away from the safe neutrality of 'greige' to create a sense of welcome and vitality.'
Craig worked with Resene Trade Sales Representative Nick Gibbons on the technical aspects of the colour choices, and with Rāwiri Tinirau, Pou Rauhī / Māori Advisor for Whanganui Regional Museum to ensure cultural resonance. 'We made sure we had cultural sign-off before we presented the scheme. The response was very encouraging, and very supportive.'
The palette is anchored by tones of Resene Merino and Triple Merino, a nod to Whanganui's strong farming heritage and the city's early growth on the back of the wool trade. These soft neutrals are contrasted by earthy Resene Scoria, a volcanic red that acknowledges both the region's geology and the architecture of marae, and by Resene Bali Hai, a blue evoking the moana, the awa, and the distant mountains. A soft blush pink - carefully chosen from Resene's colour charts of the period - adds an unexpected yet authentic 1920s touch.
'The Soft Pink is probably the most unexpected colour, but it plays a key role in pulling the scheme together,' Craig explains. 'It breaks the building free from the beige tones and connects both to the 1920s design period and to the warmth of the whenua expressed in the Scoria.'
Attention to architectural details was key. The classical 1928 building is designed in three parts - base, shaft, and capital - like a column. Craig and Catherine worked to accentuate the vertical elements that link the two distinct eras of architecture. 'That vertical language softens the transition between the 1920s and 1960s sections, making the whole building feel more cohesive,' he says. The vertical segments on the 1968 building will be painted Scoria red in reference to the pou of marae.
An unexpected delight emerged during the project: the discovery of a hidden architectural detail beneath old bitumen waterproofing layers. 'It's a modern detail leaning to the modernist movement and where that was going - quite forward thinking and subtly done by the architect at the time. It is abstract, asymmetrical, and does not follow a classical order at all. It's out of step with the building and is a real clue to how architecture was evolving,' says Craig. 'I think the architect slipped in a reference to the modernity that was starting to happen.' The feature is purely decorative but is linked to the design of the Whanganui War Memorial Centre directly opposite the Museum, built in 1960. 'The fact that the detail is asymmetrical and abstract, is the clue that it illustrates the transition from the classicism of the Museum to the eventual abstraction of the War Memorial Hall.'
'That gave me a real kick – that we uncovered this transition detail that was not of the classicism of the 1920s, but on its way to the modern style. Finding that was a real thrill - it's a little piece of design history brought back to light.'
The Museum's new look also reflects a wider shift in Whanganui's cultural precinct. With its neighbours - the Sarjeant Gallery, Whanganui War Memorial Hall, and the Alexander Heritage and Research Library - the Museum helps define a civic destination that is forward-looking while firmly grounded in heritage.
'The new colour scheme has a degree of frivolity and 1920s optimism. It looks backwards, but it looks backwards to look forwards.'
'We wanted the building to express inclusivity,' says Craig. 'Historically, the Museum has felt quite patriarchal. It's important that it feels inclusive. This colour scheme is very deliberate – it's intended to say: You're all welcome here.'
Whanganui Regional Museum Director Dr Bronwyn Labrum says, 'I could not be more delighted. We had very careful discussions throughout the development of the colour scheme and I always had great faith in Craig and Catherine with whom I have worked on our recent award-winning exhibitions. Their work is outstanding: thoughtful, appropriate, yet bold and contemporary. The meticulous work of Alan Tong Ltd was essential. We have had lots of positive visitor feedback already and the team love it.'
Throughout the project, the Whanganui Regional Museum remains open as usual - continuing to welcome visitors into a space where the past, present, and future come together.
Note:
Founded in 1892, the Whanganui Regional Museum is internationally renowned for its Taonga Māori Collection. Located in Pukenamu Queen's Park, visitors can view the exceptional creations of tupuna (ancestors) of Whanganui tangata whenua (indigenous people) alongside a changing exhibition programme encompassing a world-class collection of natural and human history, with a regional emphasis. The ground level boutique museum store sells a range of local and Māori jewellery, books, cards, art, and other New Zealand-made gift items.
The Whanganui Regional Museum Trust is an independent legal entity that owns the collection and governs the development of the Museum on behalf of the Whanganui community.
Open to visitors daily from 10.00am to 4.30pm (except Christmas Day and Good Friday), entry to Whanganui Regional Museum is free. Connect with Whanganui Regional Museum or on Facebook and Instagram.
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'Our recommendation is that national direction focus on what outcomes regional councils should seek to achieve, but that targets and timeframes are set at the catchment level, by regional councils, based on the social, economic, environmental and cultural needs of the local community.' In March, after targeted consultation had finished, ministers Bishop, McClay, and Hoggard stepped in to ensure local decision-making would appear in the discussion document. The intervention was recorded in an interim Regulatory Impact Statement – in which officials assess the effects of policy changes. Associate Environment Minister and former president of Federated Farmers Andrew Hoggard says existing rules are too complex, too expensive and often ignore 'practical realities'. Photo: Supplied The additional option was councils should be given flexibility to deviate from national bottom lines when achieving them 'has a high social, cultural or economic cost'. An interim Regulatory Impact Statement (there were several) said giving councils this flexibility 'will address key concerns, including those raised in the Beef + Lamb NZ report about natural variation, and the need to vary by region'. (Prickett, the public health researcher, says talk of local decision-making is, to her, shorthand for decisions made or influenced by polluting commercial interests.) At the March 4 meeting, officials were also directed to add other options to the discussion document: removing Te Mana o Te Wai (a decision-making hierarchy putting the health of water and ecosystems first), or considering a name change; and scrapping the 190kg per hectare cap on synthetic nitrogen fertiliser. Hurst's letter from November told ministers there should be 'no hierarchy of obligations' – a direct assault on Te Mana o te Wai – and asked for a refreshed NPS to balance environmental values with cultural, social and economic purposes. The South Island's biggest irrigation company, Central Plains Water, writing on December 2, three days after its consultation meeting, said many of the problems arising from the national policy statement stemmed from 'how Te Mana o te Wai is framed'. The hierarchy needs 'replacing in its entirety'. The company supported locals deciding if water quality and quantity should be maintained or improved, with the caveat: 'It is based on clear direction set in a NPS'. Directions on nutrient management 'do not need further strengthening', the company said. However, officials noted there would also be an increased risk of 'debate and litigation'. Another passage of the regulatory impact statement quoted a Beef + Lamb report. 'There is also concern from the primary sector that it is not possible to meet water quality bottom lines within the timeframes anticipated to be set, and 'trying to meet them will decimate farming and rural communities'.' (Doole, the independent researcher, says an explosion in catchment groups and community volunteering over the past 10 years suggests people in rural and urban environments are far more aware of their environmental impact. She struggles to reconcile that awareness with ardent advocacy to deregulate with farmers, and a 'weird binary of farmers versus environmentalists' which just feels 'exhausting and boring'.) Freshwater ecologist Mike Joy gave expert opinion evidence in the Ngāi Tahu trial on the extent to which freshwater in the takiwā is degraded, and the causes. Photo: Supplied Freshwater ecologist Mike Joy, a senior research fellow at Victoria University of Wellington's school of geography, environment and earth sciences, shared his submission to the consultation with Newsroom. The submission said councils already had flexibility to deviate from bottom lines – something noted on the environment ministry's website. Joy added there was already an 'out-clause' for waterways affected by naturally occurring processes. There was, he wrote, no justification for not applying national bottom lines. Attempts to weaken freshwater regulation were being disguised, Joy said, by using words and phrases such as 'rebalancing', 'providing flexibility' and 'simplifying'. 'There is, however, no recognition of the fact that water quality has been declining for many decades, thus the regulations they are wanting to weaken are already not strong enough.' A 2020 state of the environment report said more than 90 percent of rivers in urban, pastoral, and exotic forest areas have water quality below recommended guidelines, 76 percent of native fish were threatened with, or at risk of, extinction, and 90 percent of wetlands had been drained. Prickett, the University of Otago researcher, says rebalancing Te Mana o Te Wai would continue the primacy of polluting commercial interests over freshwater policy, which has been happening for decades and has led to declines of water quality and quantity. This degradation, she says, suggests freshwater protections have never been good enough. This despite numerous surveys showing high public concern over freshwater – that they want to be able to swim and fish in rivers and lakes, and drink high-quality water from their taps. National direction policy flood The freshwater overhaul that landed in May was part of a torrent of consultation over national direction unleashed by the coalition Government. Changes are proposed to 12 existing instruments and four new ones, with a focus on freshwater, infrastructure and development, and the primary sector. Environmental lobby group Greenpeace Aotearoa accused the Government of stripping freshwater protections to bolster corporate profits, while Federated Farmers suggested the Government had to pause freshwater rules. What are farmer groups saying now, particularly about their influence on political parties, and accusations of undue influence over that of the public interest? Hurst, of Federated Farmers, says it's 'entirely appropriate' for the Government to engage regularly with farmers and the wider primary sector, 'particularly when you consider the potential impact and cost of these rules'. Farming rules should be practical, affordable and fair, he says. 'We also want to make sure any regulation will actually be effective and achieve better environmental outcomes. 'It's important we get these rules right, particularly when you consider the huge economic contribution of agriculture for the country.' DairyNZ's David Burger, the general manager of farm solutions and policy, says it engages constructively with the government of the day on matters affecting dairy farmers 'and appreciates that other groups do the same'. Kate Acland, the chair of Beef + Lamb NZ, says farming impacts on freshwater need to be managed but there were significant issues 'and massive implications' under the previous government's approach. 'It's critical that ministers and officials first understand the issues, but also critical that they spend time with the sector to ensure rules are practical and workable.' Acland notes anyone can make a submission on the consultation, which will go through parliamentary processes, including a select committee. Ministers respond Newsroom asks ministers McClay, Hoggard, Bishop, Simmonds, and Associate Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg for comment. Bishop responds, but he's silent on ministerial meetings and the influence of agriculture. We'll quote his comments in full – the reason for which will soon be apparent. 'The current public consultation on freshwater national direction, which runs for eight weeks closing on 27 July, has been shaped by feedback received from a wide range of groups during the targeted engagement phase.' (Prickett points out this selected group didn't include non-polluting commercial interests like the tourism industry.) Bishop continues: 'During targeted engagement, some groups sought to discuss specific matters of interest or asked to continue discussions at additional meetings. 'Officials from the Ministry for the Environment accommodated these requests wherever possible, and the number and duration of meetings varied as a result. 'All submissions received during the public consultation period will be considered, along with feedback from the ongoing engagement, before progressing any freshwater national direction changes. 'Note that there will also be a second phase of public submissions later this year, when exposure drafts will be released for further consultation.' (Exposure drafts are the raw wording of legislation, released to identify potential problems before it's introduced to Parliament. This seems like a concession by the Government to environmental groups.) A day after Bishop's comments were sent, the Ministry for the Environment provided Newsroom with this statement, attributed to Nik Andic, the manager of freshwater natural environment policy: 'The current public consultation on freshwater national direction, which runs for 8 weeks and closes on 27 July, has been shaped by the feedback we received from a wide range of groups during targeted engagement. 'During targeted engagement, some groups sought to discuss specific matters of interest or asked to continue discussions at additional meetings. Officials from the Ministry for the Environment accommodated these requests wherever possible, and the number and duration of meetings varied as a result. 'We will consider all submissions received during the public consultation period, along with feedback from ongoing engagement, before providing advice to ministers on any freshwater national direction changes. 'Note that there will also be a second phase of public consultation on freshwater national direction changes later this year, when exposure drafts are released.' Farming groups' influence on Government policy might be a concern but at least the public can be assured the minister and ministry are singing from the same hymn sheet.