Scotland's national museum in jumbo £58m boost

SCOTLAND'S new-look national museum is expected to generate £58.1 million a year for the nation's economy after it fully reopens following a three-year revamp.

• Can you guess what it is? Staff prepare the museum's mammals collection for storage during the redevelopment. Picture: Julie Bull

An official study has found the main National Museums of Scotland site in Edinburgh will contribute nearly 10m extra a year, thanks to a host of new facilities and more space.

It is expected to support the equivalent of 2,611 jobs within the first full year after its planned official unveiling in July.

Bosses say the 46m revamp of the old Royal Museum building will effectively create a new world-class attraction. Bookings are already being confirmed for major exhibitions, conferences and gala dinners until 2014. They have hailed the findings of the study - the first to evaluate the economic benefit of the famous attraction in Chambers Street - as robust proof of its worth to the tourism industry.

The museums receive a 21.1m annual grant from the Scottish Government. The study found the main museum was worth 48.8m even before it was partially closed for refurbishment in the spring of 2008 - based on visitor numbers, its value as a conference and events space, the number of staff working there, and the value of goods and services linked to the attraction.

The boost to the overall figure is expected to be delivered from an anticipated surge in visitors and spin-off benefits to other attractions, hotels and restaurants, as well as extra conference and banqueting business.

Dr Gordon Rintoul, director of National Museums Scotland, said: "This report underlines the significant economic benefit that the redeveloped National Museum of Scotland will bring to Edinburgh and Scotland when it opens next summer.

"It shows the real financial contribution that we make to Scotland's economy, both through the visitors we attract and the projects, business and employment that we support through our activities.

"Our museums and collections are a key social, cultural and educational asset for our nation, and this report confirms our place as one of the key contributors to the competitiveness of Edinburgh and Scotland's unique tourism offer."

The reopening of the original Royal Museum building, which is undergoing its biggest refurbishment since it was built in 1866, is expected to see visitor numbers soar from about 800,000 before the revamp got under way to more than 1.1m, although this figure is expected to be substantially higher in the first couple of years.Some 50 per cent more public space is being created in 16 new gallery spaces, while its major exhibition space will be increased by 25 per cent.

Around 80 per cent of the exhibits will be going on display for the first time, or will have rarely been seen in public.

The refurbishment project won a 17.8m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, as well as 16m in funding from the Scottish Government.

Dr Rintoul added: "Edinburgh and Scotland will be getting a new world-class attraction. We will have space for two major international exhibitions every year, the banqueting capacity will increase from around 650 to 850, and we are already speaking to organisations like the Fringe, the Edinburgh International Festival and the National Theatre of Scotland about making more use of the building."