• Swindon & Wiltshire Property
• Friday July 28 2023
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Work begins to improve Swindon’s Civic Offices for new museum and art gallery

Work has begun this week on making the Civic Offices suitable for the new Swindon Museum and Art Gallery.

Preparatory works for a new lift, which will make the building more accessible to those with mobility issues began this week and is expected to be finished in the next few weeks.

This is the first step before more extensive works start to turn the top floor of the building into a space suitable for Swindon’s superb history collections and its nationally significant collection of modern British art.

When complete, the Civic Offices will provide around 40 per cent more display space compared to its previous home at Apsley House in Old Town.

The new venue will also 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.

A space will be developed as a schools learning and lunchroom, 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.

The ground floor of the Civic is currently being used to host temporary displays from the museum’s collections and is currently home to the Landscape and Longing exhibition.

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, chair 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.”

The museum’s previous home was at the circa 1830 Apsley House, on the corner of Devizes Road and Victoria Road in Old Town. It was sold by the council because it was too expensive to renovate, and plans for a mixed-use commercial development have been given the green light.