Builders hand keys back to Kilmartin Museum

Builders have signed off Kilmartin Museum's £3.8m revamp and handed back the keys.

 

As the big redevelopment reaches a close and the doors gets ready to open this summer, staff have moved back into the building.

 

Builders TSL started the ambitious project in April 2021 and it has weathered the twin storms of Covid and Brexit to reach the final stage of preparations for its reopening.

 

More than 40,000 artefacts will now be moved into the museum for the ready-and-waiting team of archaeologists and curators to protect and showcase them into the future.

 

Grace MacLeod, who heads up the trustees at the museum, said: "Having staff back on site is making much easier for them to progress preparations for opening our amazing new facility.”

 

The next and final stage of preparation for the reopening in the summer involves putting in the exhibition panels and cases and fitting out the new café kitchen in the steading.

 

And with a planning application under consideration, it is also hoped that work will soon start on an overflow car park to accommodate more visitors.

 

Funders behind the major scheme have included The National Lottery Heritage Fund, The European Regional Development Fund’s Natural & Cultural Heritage Fund, Argyll and Bute Council, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund and Museums Galleries Scotland.

 

Throughout the closure, the museum has kept up a number of activities with guided walks, education visits and community archaeology projects to inspire the community and visitors of all ages.

 

When it reopens, the education team is looking forward to making use of the

 

bespoke new space and labs enhancing the opportunities that the museum can offer to

 

schools and visitors for the future.

 

You can follow the final preparations for the reopening here at www.kilmartin.org and on the museum's Facebook page.