History of the New Zealand Portrait Gallery
The New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata was registered as a charitable Trust in 1990. It was the brainchild of Bill and Judy Williams with the encouragement of former Prime Minister Sir John Marshall.
The Gallery has grown from staging occasional exhibitions at Bowen House, in Wellington’s parliamentary precinct, into a public institution with professional staff presenting an annual exhibition programme in its permanent home at Shed 11, a heritage building on Wellington’s waterfront.
The New Zealand Portrait Gallery was built by dedicated volunteers and continues to rely on volunteers for many parts of its operation. The Gallery is also dependant on donations from individuals and organisations for its ongoing work, and on the sponsorship of the Adam Foundation for its biennial portrait competition.
Freeman White, Judy and Bill Williams 2007, Gift of the Friends of the New Zealand Portrait Gallery
J. H. Daroux, Wellington Harbour Improvements: Customhouse Quay, showing the new Harbour Board Sheds. Taken from the supplement to the Auckland Weekly News 18 May 1905 p13. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19050518-13-2
History of Shed 11
Shed 11 is scheduled as a Historic Building in the Wellington City District Plan and is listed as a Category 1 Historic Place by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (#235). Shed 11 is owned by Wellington Waterfront Limited, on behalf of Wellington City Council.
Shed 11 was built as part of a pair with Shed 13 in 1904-1905 by the Wellington Harbour Board (WHB) as wharf storage, built as a matching pair stretching parallel to the waterfront. The exteriors of Sheds 11 and 13 were built using brick and plaster with tiling on the roof, in a Dutch colonial style, which can especially be seen in the detailing above the doors. Upon completion in 1905, the structures were christened ‘V’ and ‘W’, but were renamed with numbers ‘11’ and ‘13’ in 1922.
Shed 11 continued to serve as as a storage facility until 1975 when it then fell into disuse. It has been in operation as a contemporary art gallery space since the 1980s.
In 2010 a long term lease on Shed 11 was secured by The New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata with the assistance of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage; an anonymous donor; Wellington City Council the Nikau Foundation and the Gallery’s Friends and supporters.
In 2010 we purchased a long term lease on Shed 11 with the assistance of a government grant of $750,000 through the Ministry for Culture and Heritage; a donation of $500,000 from an anonymous donor; $100,000 from Wellington City Council through its subsidiary, Wellington Waterfront Ltd; a grant of $10,000 from the Nikau Foundation and $120,000 raised by our Friends and supporters.
Shed 11 was refurbished in 2012, both to improve its earthquake resistance, and to provide enhanced Gallery facilities. These improvements were made by Wellington City Council, with the assistance of some additional generous contributions from individual donors.