The area was originally Flaxbourne Station, the first sheep station in the South Island before the town was settled and called Ward.
The Flaxbourne Heritage Centre is already under construction and is expected to be completed next year.
"It will be a modern take on a museum," Hickman said. "It will showcase our proud history all the way back from the early day of Māoridom to today".
After the old museum was destroyed, many of the items have been stored throughout town, including in people's homes.
Sally Peter showed 1News around one of the locations, which is being kept secret in order to keep them safe. There's a small sewing machine that was salvaged from the ship wreck in the 1800s and a monsoon bag used to carry water during the World Wars.
"We've got it all over the place at the moment stored," Peter said. "Some are in the Marlborough Museum, some are in care of people waiting for the heritage centre to open".
But even before the earthquake there were plans to expand the museum, and the latest project got a cash injection from the lotteries fund in recent years.
"We have sufficient funds to build the building and funds to set most of the static displays up and probably be ready to open."
Funds are still needed for stage three – a large cinema room which is built to make it feel like being inside a lighthouse.
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