Executive chips in extra £15m for museum revamp

Published on Thursday 25 January 2007 12:19

THE Scottish Executive has announced multi-million-pound funding to match lottery cash for a major overhaul of the city's Royal Museum.

A grant of 16.7 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund was confirmed yesterday and the Scottish Executive has now moved to add 15.2m to the pot, which means the project can get under way within 18 months. It is hoped that the remainder of the 46m project will be funded from the private sector and public donations.

Among the plans for the museum are a mini-planetarium and exhibits suspended from the ceiling, as well as a drive to encourage people to visit the often-bypassed upper floors by providing new stairs and lifts.

New exhibition spaces have also been included as part of the project, which will double the number of exhibits on display and allow the museum to host international-class exhibitions once the work is completed in 2011.

The scheme, will also see the creation of a new entrance hall and lifts, as well as internal renovations to the Victorian building on Chambers Street.

The project is at the heart of a 15-year National Museums of Scotland revamp of the building, under plans by city firm Gareth Hopkins Architects.

It is thought preparations to move some of the museum exhibits will begin at the National Museums Collections Centre at Granton later this year.

The revamp was unanimously approved by councillors at a planning meeting last month.