Town museum’s new transformation plan is revealed
UPDATED plans have been revealed for the £4.7m transformation of Nuneaton’s historic art gallery and museum.
It is no secret that the museum extension plan has been hit by funding issues and this has led to delays due to the need to find other sources of cash to pay for it.
It has now been revealed that the museum transformation is set to cost £4,735,750, while work to the wider Riversley Park is 1,260,869, meaning the total cost is just shy of £6m - at £5,996,619.
In a new cabinet report, a timeline for the project and wider work to Riversley Park have been provided. It shows that, by June 2024, a replacement for the rickety wooden bridge that links the side of the museum, over the River Anker, to Sainsbury’s, will be in place - a new steel bridge, wide enough for those on foot and also on bicycles.
There will also be an ‘upgraded events space’ within the George Eliot Memorial Gardens, which will include moving the memorial to a more prominent position.
For the museum itself, work to upgrade the lift system are due to start this year but the actual work for two glass extensions - on each side of the building are not due to start until next year. It will start around May and the whole project is not set to be completed until the summer of 2025.
The huge project will be carried out in phases. Phase one will see the work to the George Eliot Memorial Garden and the new bridge as well as the start of the transformation of the museum.
This will include seeing the former tearoom area become a breakout area which also includes a display of making in the borough, a Changing Place space, and craft cases where items will be sold.
There will be two new permanent displays - one about the museum and the park and the other a local history gallery. The spaces on the existing ground floor will be refurbished and there will be electrical wiring,boiler replacement, lighting and alarms work carried out too.
Phase 2 will include a new George Eliot Gallery, a painting and sculpture gallery, ceramics gallery, better storage for the borough’s art collection and refurbishment to facilities on the first floor.
However, the council cabinet report reveals that this element is not currently funded and attempts are being made to attract the cash from sources to help pay for it.
It has previously been explained that the museum will have to close during the work and it has now been confirmed that this could also impact events such as the Remembrance Day Parade.
There are plans for some museumlinked events in the community, including a children’s activity days staged elsewhere, but no firm plans have been revealed.
More than 12,500 objects as well as equipment and display cases will have to be carefully moved and put into storage while the works take place.
The report is set to be discussed by cabinet members at a meeting in the council chamber at the Town Hall on Wednesday, May 24. The meeting will start at 6pm.