Our Expansion Project

Our major expansion project is currently on hold due to the coronavirus lockdown

But here’s the story so far …

This £1.8m project represents a major step change for Llandudno Museum and Gallery and the services we can provide.

Main features of the work include:

• improved access to all parts of the building, including a lift to upper floors
• extending museum space along the terrace, and into upper floors
• doubling our exhibition space
• a dedicated learning and community space
• improved conservation storage area
• employing staff
• recruiting more volunteers in a wider variety of roles
• delivering education and activity programmes to new and existing audiences.

Embedded in local, regional and national strategies, our project has strategic partners, strong local support and is led by a skilled Board of Trustees.

We’re very grateful to our funders the National Lottery Heritage Fund,  Conwy County Borough Council, Welsh Government, Welsh Government Museums Archive Libraries Division, Foyle Foundation, Gwynt Y Môr, Garfield Weston, Headley Trust, G&M Davies Charity, Bernard Piggot, Horizon Nuclear

Here’s our Chairman Roy Haley, talking about the project to TV Conwy in an interview recorded in 2019

After a thorough procurement procedure, and supported by the National Heritage Lottery Fund, we appointed Arrol Architects, Grosvenor Construction, John Pigeon Partnership, and Headland Design Associates to undertake this massive project for us. All these companies have specialised experience in working in the heritage sector. It’s worth taking a look at their websites to see some of the other projects they’ve worked on and the spectacular results they’ve achieved.

Before the builders could get to work, though, we had to pack our entire collection – not just what’s on regular display, but also the collection stored in our extensive basement. Some of this material had not seen the light of day for years, some we had never had the space to display. There is, for example, material from the excavation of the Roman camp at Caerhun (Kanovium) which has probably not been seen by the public since it was excavated in the 1920s

The refurbished museum will have double the existing exhibition space – so we hope that when we re-open, we’ll be able to show off some of these hidden treasures

Here are some pictures of our great volunteers, trustees and staff carefully packing our collection – and having a bit of a laugh as well in the process.

Some of our trustees had the chance to see how work was progressing in October 2019

If you visited the Museum before this work started I hope you can see how our new colour scheme makes the space look might lighter and airier the rooms look.

We’ll have twice the exhibition space, plus community and education rooms, a small cafe and, yes, a lift!!!, to make it all the easier to get to our upper floors. The main picture below shows how our first floor gallery will look!

Just because the building’s closed doesn’t mean we’ve been able to put our feet up – oh no!

We’ve been out and about promoting the museum and telling people about our exciting plans for the future:

• at the Eisteddfod in Llanrwst
• at Llandudno Winterfest
• at Llandudno in Bloom events
• by giving talks to local clubs and societies
• by presenting to groups of visitors to local hotels
• online – in April 2000 we were particularly active in the #MuseumsUnlocked #Datgloi Amgueddfeydd campaign

We are active on Facebook and Twitter, and hope to launch a new Instagram channel soon – so you can see some of our exhibits even though you can’t visit us!