The move comes as rising energy, insurance and staffing costs lead to a $30m funding gap.

Te Papa will begin charging an entry fee for international visitors from September.

Entry to the museum will remain free for New Zealanders.

The entry fee will be $35 and will apply from 17 September to international visitors aged 16 years and older.

With nearly 600,000 international visitors in the 2023/2024 financial year, Te Papa is expected to earn an additional $5-$10 million per year from the move.

Johnston said visitors would self-identify their nationality.

"You’ll walk into Te Papa and we’ll say, ‘Kia ora, how are you? Where have you come from today?’ And if you say, ‘Oh, I’ve come from Johnsonville’, then we’ll say, ‘Great, head up the stairs, head into the museum, have a wonderful visit’.

“And if you say, ‘Oh, I’m from France’ or ‘I’m from Germany’, we’ll say, ‘Awesome, head up the stairs, you’ll see the ticket desk right there, that’s where you can buy your ticket’.”

  • Dave@lemmy.nzOPM
    4·
    3 months ago

    For those keeping count, 600k*$35 is $21m so if they expect to raise $5m-$10m from this then either they expect a big drop in international visitors or for most international visitors to not pay. edit: it also accounts for kids under 16 being free, and group discounts.

    • th3dogcow@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      3 months ago

      With nearly 600,000 international visitors in the 2023/2024 financial year, Te Papa is expected to earn an additional $5-$10 million per year from the move. That figure takes into account free entry for under 16s and group discounts, along with some visitors slipping through the cracks.

      It also accounts for children who don’t have to pay.