The building is a monument to pioneer mothers, and incorporate facilities for meetings and a range of services for women and children.
The story behind the establishment of this hall as an unofficial New Zealand centennial memorial is one of Dunedin's more interesting civic battles.
The project originated with Dr Emily Siedeberg-McKinnon, New Zealand's first woman doctor and a strong advocate for women. She saw the centennial as an opportunity to rouse support for the construction of a purpose-built women's centre like one she had seen in Vancouver in 1928.
