Genevieve Montgomery Auckland War Memorial Museum has been closed to the public this weekend following the discovery of asbestos dust during heritage work investigations. The closure is a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of visitors and staff while specialist teams prepare for asbestos cleaning and removal.
How the Asbestos Was Discovered
The museum, a landmark neoclassical building in the Auckland Domain dating back to the 1920s and 1950s, was undergoing heritage work in the Te Marae Ātea Māori Court and the Pacific Galleries when dust was found last month. Subsequent testing confirmed the presence of static asbestos in these areas. Additional swab tests in the grand foyer also returned positive results for asbestos.
Safety Measures and Full Closure
As the grand foyer is a primary evacuation route, its closure requires the museum to establish new fire evacuation procedures in consultation with fire engineers. For this reason, the entire museum is closed throughout the weekend while these plans are reviewed and updated.
The museum is working under the guidance of a licensed asbestos assessor, and daily risk assessments have been carried out since the discovery. Essential security and facilities management staff continue to monitor the building, while all public access is suspended.
Ongoing Monitoring and Next Steps
Air quality monitoring is ongoing, and the museum assures the public that there has been no risk of exposure to visitors. Preparatory work for safe asbestos removal is underway, and affected galleries will remain closed until cleaning and remediation are complete.
The museum has apologised for the inconvenience and is providing updates on its website and social media channels. Maps and signage have been updated to help visitors navigate once the museum reopens.
Background
The Auckland War Memorial Museum is one of New Zealand’s busiest cultural sites, attracting nearly 900,000 visitors in the past year despite previous closures due to weather events. Buildings of its age commonly contain historic materials that included asbestos, making such discoveries not unusual during renovation or heritage work.
Visitor Information
The museum will provide further updates regarding reopening as soon as safety reviews and cleaning are complete. In the meantime, essential staff will ensure the security and maintenance of the facility, and the public is encouraged to check the museum’s official channels for the latest information.
