Why does Western Bay Museum need a $1 million redevelopment? It all starts with the building.
Every visitor who's ever bumped into a staffroom door mid-exhibition already knows it: our beloved fire station has outgrown its second life.
Over the next few months, we want to take you behind the scenes of how we got here - the complete refurbishment and redevelopment of Western Bay Museum. We're calling it The Why, The How, The Who and The What, and this edition is about The Why: the building itself.
It's been a journey, and it's one we want you to be part of. Follow these editions, ask us questions, share them with your neighbours - because museums are owned by the community, for the community.
From fire station to museum
The Katikati Fire Station was built in 1955, funded by the community it has always served. It's not a heritage-listed building, but the bright red fire station in the heart of Katikati has become something better - a local icon. In 2014, Western Bay District Council repurposed it as a community building. It wasn't designed for a museum, but we were thrilled to have a home of our own.
By 2016, the space that once housed fire hoses and an engine was housing our history instead. Our very first exhibition, "Fun & Games," opened under the Western Bay Heritage Trust Board - and Western Bay Museum, as you know it today, was born.
Ten years on, we've outgrown it
Fast forward to 2026, and the building simply isn't fit for purpose anymore.
We've grown from one paid manager to three permanent and seven contracted staff. Our exhibitions, our programmes, and our standing in the museum sector have all grown with us - but the building hasn't kept pace. Bathroom and staffroom doors open straight into exhibition spaces. There's nowhere for quiet reflection. No dedicated space for the live demonstrations, wānanga (learning) and cultural connection that bring our community's stories to life.
That's what this redevelopment will fix. We'll be using every square metre - footpath to side road - to transform how the building looks, feels and works. Each exhibition space will have its own identity, giving our storytelling room to breathe. There will be a proper community and wānanga space, full of life and activity. It will be more welcoming for visitors and students alike, grounded in manaakitanga (hospitality) from the moment you walk in.
None of this would be possible without the community, Hapū of northern Tauranga Moana, Western Bay District Council, our schools, heritage partners, destination operators, funders, sponsors and donors who've backed us at every step - and Te Papa National Services Te Paerangi, whose guidance has been paramount to our growth. We'll be putting the spotlight on all of them in editions to come.
Next edition: The How - what the redevelopment will actually involve, and what it will take to get there.
Keen to stay in the loop? Keep an eye on our Museum News, follow our facebook page or email: manager@westernbaymuseum.nz
