Located in the heart of the city centre on the corner of Willow and Wharf Streets, the new library and community hub is the first new building to open as part of the civic precinct, Te Manawataki o Te Papa.
Across three levels, the building brings together modern library services, a Creation Station for hands-on creativity and technology, a dedicated Sensory Space, children’s and teens’ areas, an archives and research centre, bookable meeting rooms, a Community Hub for gatherings and events, and an outdoor terrace overlooking the waterfront.
Te Ao Mārama Tauranga Library and Community Hub is a welcoming place for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to discover a love of reading, explore new technology, develop skills, share knowledge and connect with others.
He Puna Manawa Karakia
Before the doors to the new library and community hub opened on Friday, 16 October 2026, a dawn blessing at He Puna Manawa marked this important milestone
The Civic Opening of He Puna Manawa
The civic opening was an opportunity to celebrate the completion of He Puna Manawa, recognise the many people who contributed to bringing the project to life, and welcome the community into a place designed to inspire learning, creativity and connection for generations to come.
Places for people
The new library and community hub features:
- All your usual library favourites from non-fiction to science-fiction books and everything in between.
- Council’s friendly Customer Service Centre team available for all council enquiries.
- A café for those coffee catch-ups or a bite to eat with friends, colleagues or study buddies.
- Flexible community spaces and bookable rooms for meetings, workshops, seminars and events - catering for everything from author readings to computer classes, and clothes swaps to ceremonies of cultural importance.
- A technology-rich Creaton Station to foster creativity, digital and hands-on learning to support activities such as 3D printing, robotics, crafting and multimedia production.
- Dedicated and inclusive areas for tamariki and rangitahi to learn and explore.
- A Sensory Room providing a safe and welcoming space for neurodivergent children and adults.
- Views across the civic precinct, wider city and out to Te Awanui Tauranga Harbour from the outdoor terrace.
- A modern archive facility to explore and discover our region’s significant heritage artefacts including photographs, artworks, rare books, videos, oral histories, maps and documents.
- A comprehensive reference section which will serve as a knowledge hub for students, researchers, and professionals.
Sustainable design
Council has committed to putting sustainability at the forefront of design for this new three-level facility. Achieving a NZGBC 6 Green Star Design rating from the New Zealand Green Building Council reflects world leadership in sustainability. To achieve this a mass timber hybrid structure has been adopted to minimise the buildings’ carbon impact and help create a better environment for our future.
The design of the building is based on three principles, developed alongside mana whenua, to help tell the story of the city’s rich past to all those who visit:
- Wai: flow nourishes and shapes the whenua
- Ahi Kaa: a space emerges to sustain people
- Paparanga Ngahere: a place to nurture community activity and growth.
Background
Following extensive community engagement, in June 2022 the Council committed to developing the civic precinct that will see our city’s heart transformed into a vibrant community space over the coming years, breathing new life into what will become a key cultural, heritage and economic driver for the region.
To be called Te Manawataki o Te Papa, the heartbeat of Te Papa, it will feature a library and community hub, civic house and museum. The programme of work also includes an upgrade to Toi Tauranga Art Gallery, along with the landscaping of public spaces in the area.
Learn more about Te Manawataki o Te Papa