Paisley unveils ambitious museum redevelopment
Scheme part of bid to become UK City of Culture in 2021
Renfrewshire Council has unveiled a £56.7m plan to redevelop Paisley Museum as part of the Scottish town’s bid to become the UK City of Culture in 2021.
The council also unveiled a scheme to create a £3.7m museum store to support the museum and open up access to collections for education and research.
“Paisley was once at the heart of the global textile industry and by connecting that heritage to the future through a new transformed museum, we aim to bring the world to Paisley,” said councillor Mark Macmillan, the leader of Renfrewshire Council and the chairman of the Paisley 2021 Partnership Board.
“The museum will become the cultural, social and economic heart of the town. It will be transformed for tourists and local families alike, and be the base for extensive community outreach supporting weaving, natural history, science and nature.”
The council hopes that annual visitor numbers to the museum will triple to 150,000.
The plan for Paisley Museum includes a £15m bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund with match funding from the council’s regeneration funds.
Coventry is also bidding to be the UK City of Culture in 2021. The next UK City of Culture will be Hull in 2017.
The council also unveiled a scheme to create a £3.7m museum store to support the museum and open up access to collections for education and research.
“Paisley was once at the heart of the global textile industry and by connecting that heritage to the future through a new transformed museum, we aim to bring the world to Paisley,” said councillor Mark Macmillan, the leader of Renfrewshire Council and the chairman of the Paisley 2021 Partnership Board.
“The museum will become the cultural, social and economic heart of the town. It will be transformed for tourists and local families alike, and be the base for extensive community outreach supporting weaving, natural history, science and nature.”
The council hopes that annual visitor numbers to the museum will triple to 150,000.
The plan for Paisley Museum includes a £15m bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund with match funding from the council’s regeneration funds.
Coventry is also bidding to be the UK City of Culture in 2021. The next UK City of Culture will be Hull in 2017.