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.
9. Northampton Museum and Art Gallery
The shoe gallery is in a newly refurbished underground room, however Rebecca says the lighting is much better than the old shoe gallery and she is looking forward to visitors getting the chance to appreciate the better lighting. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.
10. Northampton Museum and Art Gallery
Louise Hannam-Jones, history curator, is responsible for the 'We are Northampton' exhibition in the temporary exhibition space. She said: "We wanted to put on an exhibition that celebrates the town's rich history and the people of Northampton. "So we went out to ask people what their favourite parts of Northampton are and they came up with the people, buildings and events, which are now the themes of the exhibition. "We hope this will get people back out onto the streets looking up at buildings, participating in events and giving back to their communities." Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.
11. Northampton Museum and Art Gallery
According to Nick, the exhibition space is now 400 square metres, which is much bigger than the former one. Exhibitions will remain in place for around six months, so that when visitors return they always get to see something new. The next exhibition is based around Vikings. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.
12. Northampton Museum and Art Gallery
Louise added that the carnival was a common answer when people were asked about favourite events in Northampton. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.