The Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum will close for two weeks after the April school holidays to combine two reception areas into one on the ground floor and create new exhibition space on the upper floor.

While the facility is closed to the public, staff will be busy helping with the renovations and installing four new exhibitions in the upstairs space.

Facility director Shirin Khosraviani said the post-holiday period was usually quieter and so it was the ideal time to do the minor renovations, which were approved as part of the Long Term Plan 2024-34.

“We’ll create one shared reception and retail space for both heritage and art functions on the ground floor and convert the retail space upstairs into a fourth exhibition space, which will be a permanent home for art and objects from our local civic and pictorial collections.

“Then we’ll be re-opening on Saturday 10 May and looking forward to showing off the new space to our regular and new visitors.”

The renovation project will cost around $60,000 and staff have reduced costs by designing the new space inhouse and doing some of the painting work.

“We’re very used to repairing and repainting the exhibition walls every time there is a new display and so we’re looking forward to using our skills in a wider capacity. Interestingly, the original design of the building was for four exhibition spaces upstairs and it will be great to have some of our collection pieces on show alongside temporary exhibitions."

The art gallery and museum facility opened 10 years ago, running as separate operations by separate organisations. Both are now Council controlled and operate as one, and there are 14 staff and 35 volunteers who work there.

Ms Khosraviani said having just one reception at the ground entry point would improve the experience for visitors and make staff more visible.

“This will make the whole facility more welcoming and visitors will get a better insight into all the exhibitions, upstairs and downstairs.”

Bench tops and shelving from the facility is being sold or repurposed where possible – with some going to the Mt Hutt Memorial Hall.

The Ashburton District Family History Group that operates from the facility will also close for the two-week renovation period, though members of the public can still contact them on ashdfhg@gmail.com or through their website www.ashdfhg.co.nz

Bradfords and other local subcontractors have been awarded the contract for the renovations.

The closure period is from Monday 28 April to Friday 9 May.