A huge refurbishment of a Northampton museum has finally been completed after delays and will reopen to the public on Saturday (July 10).
Northampton Museum and Art Gallery in Guildhall Road in the cultural quarter of the town has undergone a £6.7 million refurbishment, which has been around five years in the making - due to pandemic delays and more - and was funded by the sale of an Egyptian statue.
As part of the renovation, the museum has doubled in size, has a new, dedicated shoe gallery, two art galleries, a huge temporary exhibition space, a central hall with a three-wall projection playing different films, a large and airy atrium, a new shop and selling gallery -supporting local businesses, artists and makers, a cafe and an outside terrace.
First up in the temporary exhibition space is ‘We are Northampton’, showcasing members of the public’s favourite parts of the town, including buildings, events and people.
Curators of the exhibition hope it will inspire a ‘sense of community’ and make visitors want to take note of their surroundings and their own community.
Generally, the refurbishment has allowed for more displays and has also made the whole space lighter and more contemporary to give visitors a better experience.
There are also many additional interactive features to support the items and exhibitions and the story being told.
At the Northamptonshire Heritage Awards, the museum has also recently won ‘best organisation’ and 'best project on a limited budget' for its film showcasing the installation.
The museum reopens to the public on Saturday (July 10) at 10am.
Opening hours will be: Tuesday to Saturday, 10am - 5pm and Sunday, 12pm - 5pm.
No booking is required and entrance is free, but visitors are reminded to follow social distancing rules and to wear face masks, unless exempt.
Below is a sneak peek of the museum, plus more information about specific parts of the attraction.
. Northampton Museum and Art Gallery
The renovation has given the museum a contemporary, bright and airy feel. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.
. Northampton Museum and Art Gallery
The foyer which greets visitors upon entry. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.
1. Northampton Museum and Art Gallery
The foyer which greets visitors upon entry. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.
2. Northampton Museum and Art Gallery
The new cafe and outdoor terrace. All designed by architects who have been working on the project for around five years. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.
3. Northampton Museum and Art Gallery
The atrium is the link between the old museum building and the new part, which are former council buildings. Tom Jagger from GSS Architecture said: "It was a puzzle to work out how to keep the historic features and connect it with the supporting buildings. "Museum fatigue due to low lighting is a thing and the atrium is there to break that, but is also somewhere to relax." Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.
4. Northampton Museum and Art Gallery
The three-wall projection is currently showing a film about how people of Northampton how responded to the pandemic and what they have done throughout the lockdowns. Films will change in the central hall regularly. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.