Ulster Folk Museum in the UK launches first-phase gallery construction of £50 million redevelopment project

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 12, the Ulster Folk Museum in Northern Ireland, UK, launched construction of the first-phase gallery of its £50 million overall redevelopment project. The first phase comprises the Public Engagement and Visitor Pavilion, scheduled for completion in spring 2027. The entire redevelopment project is jointly funded by the Northern Ireland Department for Communities and the UK National Lottery Heritage Fund, with the Department for Communities providing £40 million and the National Lottery Heritage Fund providing £10 million.

The first-phase pavilion will feature dedicated public engagement spaces for museum activities, educational experiences, and cultural heritage displays, allowing visitors to learn about the plans for the subsequent overall redevelopment. The construction contractor is Maurice Flynn & Sons Ltd., responsible for building the pavilion. AtkinsRéalis has been appointed as the design team for the overall redevelopment project, responsible for design coordination of the subsequent works.

The overall redevelopment scope covers not only existing buildings and visitor facilities but also the construction of a new cultural center, an industrial heritage gallery, and learning spaces. The cultural center will serve entrance reception, guided tours, and collection displays; the industrial heritage gallery will re-concentrate the display of collections related to Northern Ireland's industrial development history; the learning spaces will provide practical venues for students, adult learners, and apprentices, offering courses related to traditional crafts and the natural environment.

The overall redevelopment will also involve wayfinding signage, interpretive panels, accessible circulation, and visitor service facilities in the open-air museum area. The museum currently has a large number of historic buildings and traditional living scenes, and subsequent works will need to improve public facilities while preserving the original buildings and historic environment.

Of the £50 million in funding, £10 million is provided by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, one of the fund's larger single grants in Northern Ireland in the past decade; the remaining £40 million is covered by the Northern Ireland Department for Communities. The project obtained full planning permission from the Ards and North Down Borough Council in 2023, and the overall capital redevelopment plan is expected to be completed in 2029.