The new archival building in Wellington will be ready for occupation in mid-2025. Relocation of kaimahi into the building signals the Heritage Campus coming to life and the transition of collections and holdings to their new home.
Considering the immense scale of the move, access to some holdings, collections and records will be affected during the transition period. The transition period spans from the present time through to when all services are fully up and running in the new archival building and the wider Heritage Campus.
The Heritage Campus encompasses the new archival building and National Library building in Wellington. It also represents the establishment of collaborative ways of working within the new, shared spaces.
Not all services will be fully operational immediately, as some may take longer due to the relocation of holdings and the setup of specialised equipment. Some services will be reintroduced in stages.
A major part of the move will be the installation of new and existing equipment into technical spaces – the conservation / preservation lab, the audiovisual and digitization facilities – within the new archival building. The move will be staged to maintain operations as much as possible so requests can be triaged and urgent requests prioritised.
Archives Reading Room will remain in Mulgrave Street until the end of 2025. During this time holdings that have been moved to the new building will be available by appointment in the National Library Molesworth Street reading rooms.
The kaimahi and services move will be complete in February 2026 when the new archival building opens to the public. It’s estimated the move of holdings will continue until the end of 2026.
Exception management processes will be in place for urgent requests for access to holdings, records and collections during this period. Legislative requirements for Government Loans will continue to be met during this period, however there may be some exceptions to the six-day turnaround.
They will communicate up-to-date information regarding any impact on services regularly with stakeholders via email and newsletters. This information will be readily available on via their website and via social media.
