Work to expand Wrexham Museum and create the first ever museum dedicated to Welsh football is progressing well.
SWG Construction started work onsite in July, and plenty has been going on since then as we work towards completion in 2026.
The ‘Museum of Two Halves’ will include state of the art galleries in a fully refurbished and extended building, becoming a world-class new national attraction for Wrexham, drawing thousands of visitors from all over Wales – and beyond.
Initial work has involved the demolition of the modern alterations to the building as part of creating the new atrium and the new gallery spaces on the ground and first floors.
Big changes
For anyone familiar with the museum building, the biggest changes to the building are the removal of the roof over the old main gallery to recreate the original inner courtyard space, while at the front of the building the glazed extension has been carefully dismantled to allow work to proceed on the front façade of the building.
The big crane on St Mark’s Road has assisted with these tasks - and has plenty more work to do over the coming months.
Image: Haley Sharpe
As well as developing a fantastic new museum, SWG’s expertise in conservation is coming to the fore as we help restore one of Wrexham’s most famous buildings to its former glory.
The Museum itself is being developed by Wrexham Council’s museum team in association with museum designers, Haley Sharpe Design and architects, Purcell.
Funding support for the new museum is being delivered by Wrexham Council, Welsh Government, National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Wolfson Foundation. The Museum of Two Halves project has also received £1.3 million from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
Ambitious plans
Councillor Paul Roberts, Wrexham Council’s Lead Member for Partnerships, said: “There is a real buzz starting to build around this project now that construction work has begun and the scale of the ambitious plan for the new museum is becoming visible.
“The football museum’s stall at the recent National Eisteddfod in Pontypridd was a massive hit, with thousands of people from all over the country visiting to find out more about the plans – an indication of the huge appetite there is for Wales to have its own football museum.
“The expanded Wrexham Museum will benefit from state-of-the-art galleries to tell the story of our city and the county borough at a time when global interest in Wrexham is skyrocketing.
“The new museum is set to open in 2026. In the meantime I would encourage everyone visiting the city centre to go and take a look at the new pop-up museum on Queen’s Square where they can view some beautifully illustrated plans for the new museum and find out more about this exciting new development for Wrexham.”
Image: Haley Sharpe
Shaun Humphries Construction Director, of SWG Construction, added: “We are delighted to be involved in such an important project for Wrexham and indeed the whole of Wales.
“We are using all of our experience and expertise to take care of this historic building which will once again be a source of pride for the local community, as well as attracting even more visitors to Wrexham.”
