The Otago Museum in Dunedin, New Zealand, has announced the closure of its Discovery World Tropical Forest to allow work to begin on the second stage of the attraction’s NZ$4m (US$2.9m, €2.6m, £2.3m) redevelopment.

Costing NZ$2.5m (US$1.8m, €1.6m, £1.4m), phase two will include the installation of 50 interactive science exhibits and a revamped Tropical Forest butterfly house.

The Otago Community Trust has shown its support for the development, granting NZ$500,000 (US$364,000, €321,000, £282,000) towards costs.

“This interactive, multicultural facility will offer amazing hands-on experiences that inspire curiosity about our world, and lifelong learning,” said the Community Trust’s chief executive, Barbara Bridger. “It will certainly be something special for Otago.”

The Lion Foundation has also part-funded the project, donating NZ$100,000 (US$73,0000, €64,000, £56,000) for a 6m-high (19.7ft) double helix-inspired slide.

“The slide will become one of the most recognised symbols of the new centre,” said a statement from the museum. “Not only will it create a striking visual element, but it will challenge people with feelings of fear, expectation, achievement, accomplishment and success.”

Exhibition design form Story Inc are listed as original concept developers for the expansion, while Gibson Group are handling design development. Otago Museum and the Logic Group make up the project management team and Millers Creative Design are lead contractors.

Tropical Forest will close on 24 July, remaining shut until it reopens in December. The relaunched science centre will also incorporate the digitally interactive Beautiful Science Gallery and Perpetual Guardian Planetarium, with those additions completed in 2015 during the project's first phase. The redeveloped centre will also be given a new name to be revealed at a later date.