The council is the major funder of the museum's operational expenses and has budgeted a grant of $3.4 million for the 2008-09 financial year, an increase of 6% on this year.
Speaking at the council's annual plan hearings committee this week, museum director Shimrath Paul thanked the council for the increase but said he hoped the museum and the council could work together on increasing the level of funding.
An extra $1 million was required to fully fund depreciation and an extra $1.78 million to bring salaries up to market levels and to fund additional conservation, education, event, training and other costs.
Annual visitor numbers at the museum were heading for the 450,000 mark, Mr Paul said, about 20% up on the previous 12 months.
Of the total, 60%-70% were Otago people, a percentage he said turned statistics from other museums on their head.
The result was because of the museum's ‘‘unapologetic focus on Otago'', boosted by the popularity of the new tropical house.
