Work to renovate Ipswich Museum moves ahead as contractors sought to complete project
The renovation will see new galleries installed, alongside a new cafe.
The project to renovate Ipswich Museum has moved a step forward with the council now looking for contactors to complete the work.
The attraction, which dates back to 1881, has been closed for the past few months to allow the exhibits to be packed away and moved into storage.
Work will see new galleries built, along with a new cafe and educational spaces.
The museum's famous mammoth will take centre stage in his own seperate gallery.
The project also includes a new outdoor seating terrace, converting the basement for toilets and lockers, repairs to boundary walls, new stairs and a plant room, wheelchair accessibility ramps and a relocated lift.
Two companies are now being sought to carry out the work, which is set to cost approximately ÂŁ8.7m.
One will restore the Grade II listed structure, while the other will focus on the internal improvement work.
Councillor Carole Jones, from Ipswich Borough Council, said: “Ipswich Museum is a Grade II listed building, so the chosen contractors must demonstrate they have the skills to work sensitively on such an important building in our town."
"This redevelopment will respond carefully to the Museum’s 19th century character, preserving the significant Victorian fabric and fittings, whilst also delivering improvements that will allow us to display more of our collections across the galleries.
“Ipswich Museum is a beautiful historic venue that provides a vital educational community space, so we need to ensure that contractors carrying out this work do so with the utmost care.”