Work to transform Civic Offices into temporary art gallery in Swindon begins
The project is expected to be finished in the next few weeks
Long-awaited work to transform some of Swindon Borough Council’s Civic Offices in Euclid Street into a new, albeit temporary, art gallery and museum has begun.
One of the major pieces of work needed to adapt the listed, art deco building into a suitable exhibition space on its second floor is the installation of an accessible passenger lift.
Work on that started this week is expected to be finished in the next few weeks.
Councillor Marina Strinkovsky, Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet member for heritage, art and culture, said: “It’s great to finally see work begin on this new museum and art gallery.
“I know a lot of people have been waiting a long time for this new space and I can’t wait to see it finished.
“There is still a lot of work to be done, so make sure you’re following the council’s social media pages to get the latest on the project when the main construction work begins.”
Linda Kasmaty, the chairman of the Friends of the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, said: “The Friends are delighted that work is about to start on making the Civic Offices suitable to become Swindon’s Museum and Art Gallery.
“We are also very encouraged that the new administration is committing to transparency and communication, and we look forward to working closely with them and their officers to support them in their drive to create the best and most professional museum that they can.”
When complete, the gallery spaces on the upper floor at the Civic Offices will provide around 40 per cent more display space compared to its previous home at Apsley House in Old Town.
The council says it will provide improved working conditions and additional areas for staff, volunteers and researchers, presenting an opportunity to restart the museum and art gallery’s volunteer programme.
As well as exhibition rooms, which will also be used to host museum events, especially those aimed at families and focusing on the museum and art gallery’s extensive collections.
At the moment, the ground floor of the Civic is being used to host temporary displays from the museum’s collections and is currently home to the Landscape and Longing exhibition.
Small temporary exhibitions and the civic offices, and some travelling displays, have been the only opportunity to see the borough’s collections, including what is acknowledged as a nationally important collection of modern art, since the museum and art gallery closed the start of the March 2020 lockdown.
Work is expected until at last summer 2024.