Museum work given go-ahead

Cabinet yesterday (Wednesday 23 December) gave the go-ahead for the development of the Experience Barnsley project’s People’s Museum.

The project will be the first Barnsley museum devoted to the stories of the whole borough, from thousands of years ago to the present day. It will be based in the basement and ground floor of the town hall.

Work will start on the project in summer 2010, and will necessitate extensive works throughout the building. This will mean closing the building down for the duration of the work (approximately 60 weeks). Services in the town hall will be temporarily relocated elsewhere. This will include the registry office, which will be moving to the Civic. People who had weddings confirmed for the town hall and who will definitely be affected by the building works have already been contacted to explain that their weddings will still be able to go ahead, but at a different venue. A letter will be sent out early in January to everyone who had provisional bookings to further explain the situation and the alternatives on offer.

The work at the town hall is a necessary step in developing the exciting museum and opening the building up further to the public. After the works are completed, the renewed and improved facilities will allow the town hall to remain the focal civic and democratic hub in the borough, where mayoral events are hosted and where democratic processes, such as council and scrutiny meetings, are held.