The director of the Auckland War Memorial Museum says the proposed Auckland branch of Te Papa should be in Manukau.
The Te Papa North Planning Group initially proposed that the centre should be on the Auckland waterfront and focus on exhibiting artefacts from the national collection.
Hamish Keith was chairperson of the group which suggested a site at Wynyard Park on the waterfront that could exhibit items that are in storage.
But in September, Culture and Heritage Minister Chris Finlayson announced plans to build the branch of Te Papa in Manukau, South Auckland.
Mr Keith says the site would be too small and very different from what is actually needed, which is room to put on show national treasures the public has never seen. He says the working group proposed 18,000 square metres purely for exhibitions on the waterfront.
But Auckland War Memorial Museum director Roy Clare says he supports a site in the south of the city because everywhere, not just the centre, needs cultural provision.
The business case for the branch of Te Papa is being considered before it is presented to the Cabinet in November.
