Auckland Museum is New Zealand's oldest museum, founded in 1852. In 1929 it moved to its current neo-classical building. By the early 1990s it had fallen into serious disrepair. Rodney Wilson was appointed Director in 1994, taxed with the refurbishment of the building and its large number of permanent exhibitions, the requirement for new legislation, new governance, new management, and complete organisational transformation. During the 12 years to 1996 this was all achieved, along with major building additions. At a total capital cost of $115,000,000 Auckland Museum has become a state-of-the-art institution, fusing the best of its tradition with the best of modern development. A lasting legacy is the establishment of a funded capital asset renewal programme, in perpetuity, including the complete replacement of two permanent exhibitions every year.

This was the ultimate "green fields" project. Commenced with no collection, no site, no staff and no money, Rodney Wilson acquired a prime central city waterfront site, assembled an impressive collection, raised the money, and built an array of buildings on a wharf and associated shore front, with jetties, marina and floating boat shed. Active workshops demonstrating maritime trades in action were included as well as a fascinating range of exhibits. More than 20 boat builders worked on the restoration of small craft, keel boats and powered vessels, while also building the first authentic trading scow to be built in seventy years, the "TED ASHBY".

During the first half of the 1980s, areas of the Art Gallery's historic Grainger d'Ebro French chateau style building, which had previously been occupied by the City Council and City Library, were remodelled as additional Gallery facilities. Rodney Wilson led this project, while simultaneously developing exhibitions, publications and events activities to a level hitherto unknown in New Zealand.

Wellington City Gallery is an exhibitions-focused civic art gallery devoted to contemporary art. Rodney Wilson's role was to assist the newly appointed Gallery Director in the mid 1990s to review its role, plan its strategies for future development, and support staff in writing concept and architectural briefs for the conversion of the former City Library into a new gallery. Subsequently, his recommendations to Wellington City Council for 'clustering' the City's museums and historic properties were adopted, and the Wellington Museums Trust formed. He has had an ongoing, periodic role in assisting the Trust and Gallery with strategic review and planning.

In the early 1990s Rodney Wilson was engaged by the Rotorua District Council to review the future of their historic "Bathhouse" building ( a former spa and hospital), and the museum it housed. More recently he has provided support to the Council, Museum Director and their Architects, as plans to complete the building to its full 1907 design are implemented.

Rodney Wilson has long standing and deep experience in the development, planning and delivery of first-class exhibitions for art galleries and museums. During 30 years of professional practice he has produced many important international and domestic exhibitions, along with associated books, catalogues, publications and events programmes. He has developed 25 permanent exhibitions (along with a programme of Gallery Renewal which sees them replaced according to planned life cycles) at Auckland War Memorial Museum, and 14 permanent galleries at the National Maritime Museum. Just some of the key Special Exhibitions he has brought about include;

• The Street
• A century of modern masters from the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection
• Still life in the age of Rembrandt
• Claude Monet: painter of light
• Canaletto: master of Venice
• The buried army of Qin Shihuang
• Leonardo's Natural World: nature studies from the Royal Library at Windsor Castle
• Paul Klee
• Aspects of Recent New Zealand Art (four exhibitions and accompanying books)
• Monograph exhibitions on senior artists incl. Gordon Walters and Milan Mrkusich
• Te Maori. Logistical management and marketing
• Dragon Emperor
• Sir Edmund Hillary: Everest and beyond
• Bellsouth Pharoahs
• Precious Legacy
• Body Art
• Vikings
• Vaka Moana: voyages of the ancestors

Public art works commissioned by Rodney Wilson have included; George Rickey "Double L Gyratory", Neil Dawson "Throwback", Peter Nicholls "Spine", and "Gateway" by Chris Booth at the edge of Albert Park in downtown Auckland.

• Review of Dunedin City Museums Management Structure (for Dunedin City Council)
• An evaluation of architectural proposals for Southland Museum and Art Gallery redevelopment from McCoy and Wixon Architects and McCulloch Architects (for Southland Museum and Art Gallery)
• 80th birthday exhibition on the life and work of Christchurch Architect Sir Miles Warren 2009 (for Christchurch Art Gallery)