Ipswich Museum’s refurbishment faces delays, pushing the reopening to 2026 due to unexpected issues. The project now costs £11.8 million.
They planned a new gallery for the space. They also wanted new lifts installed. The gift shop was set to get bigger. Even the toilets were supposed to get upgrades. The picture’s from Google Maps, by the way.
The project now costs £11.8 million. This amount is £2.7 million more than they thought. Carole Jones is the council’s planning and museums expert. She said this phase moves along well and it should finish this coming spring.
Plans surfaced to build a new lift in August. A new staircase got added to the plans. An outdoor seating area was also filed for approval. Carole Jones said it’s a transformative remodel.
She stated updating a Grade II* listed building has challenges. Complex projects take more time than expected. The base-build continues until late spring 2025, and the gallery fit-out will start in the summer.
They hope to open in the first half of 2026. Predicting an exact date isn’t possible right now. They are working hard to open the museum sooner, so Ipswich residents and visitors will enjoy it then.