A museum telling the social history of one of New Zealand's first cities has reopened in Dunedin following a four-year NZ$37.5m (US$31.69m, 24.21m euro, £19.64m) refurbishment.

Toitu Otago Settlers Museum opened to the public on 8 December after a two-year closure during its building phase.

The closure allowed the development of a transport garage, the refurbishment of heritage brick buildings and construction of a new entrance foyer, which houses a steam locomotive, a shop, café and function spaces.

A 3,000sq m storage facility, which kicked off the refurbishment project in 2008, was completed in November 2009.

The museum includes exhibits charting the arrival of the indigenous Maori population, the growth of Dunedin city and future challenges for the region.

The renovation has allowed the museum to display many large objects that had previously been in storage - including a Tiger Tea trolley bus, a Didham's delivery truck, a restored tram and a night soil cart.

Dunedin mayor David Cull said the museum would be an "evolving database of snapshots, of historic vistas, of personal, family and cultural stories."

The museum, which has free admission, first opened in 1908 and is owned by Dunedin City Council.