Work starts on major project to create museum of two halves

Extensive work has kicked off on a major project with the goal of creating a new museum for Wrexham, alongside a Football Museum for Wales.

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SWG Construction, based in Welshpool, will be carrying out the major project in Regent Street on behalf of Wrexham County Borough Council with an opening date set for 2026.

The scope of the work includes the refurbishment, modernisation and extension of the existing Grade ll listed building and external works – which will also involve the revamp of Wrexham Museum’s galleries and comprehensive re-presentation of the Wrexham County Borough Council Collection.

Luke Frakes (Project Manager), Mike Jones (Contracts Manager), Michael Conner (Design Manager), Karen Murdoch (WCBC Project Manager), Cllr Paul Roberts (WCBC Lead Member for Lead Member for Partnerships and Community Safety), Kirsty Morris (WCBC Shared Prosperity Fund Manager), Jonathon Gammond (WCBC Interpretation & Access Officer), Monika Frackowiak (WCBC Administration and Monitoring Officer), Nick Underwood (Senior Project Manager), Fraser Randall (Senior Project Manager), Glyn Chaplin (WCBC Project Manager).

The new football museum will be a celebration of Welsh football, past and present, from its grassroots up to international level, in addition to turning the spotlight on Wrexham, the birthplace of Welsh football and an area that has made a significant contribution to the sport.

Funding support is being delivered by Wrexham Council, the Welsh Government, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Wolfson Foundation, while the Museum of Two Halves project has received £1.3 million from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

Steve Gough, director of SWG Construction, said: “This is an amazing project to be involved in and we are delighted to be carrying out the work on behalf of Wrexham Borough Council. It involves the refurbishment and extension of the existing Grade ll listed building along with external works.

“The aim of the Museum of Two Halves project is to create a new Football Museum for Wales and a new museum for Wrexham, which will serve as a national visitor attraction, learning centre and community asset."

“We are already on-site and work is underway. The museum will be closed to the public for the duration of the project and we are working towards an opening date in 2026.

“The Wrexham Museum and the Museum of Two Halves will be impressive additions to the landscape of Wrexham which should prove to be a major attraction for visitors from far and wide.”

Councillor Paul Roberts, Wrexham Council's Lead Member for Partnerships, said: “The Museum of Two Halves project has reached another milestone on its journey to create a football museum for Wales and a new museum for Wrexham with the appointment of SWG as construction base-build contractors. The company have moved onto the Regent Street site in Wrexham city centre and work has begun.

“Congratulations to the project team for the dedication and hard work that has enabled the museum development to reach this exciting new stage. It is great to see the builders on site; we are now seeing this nationally important project move off the drawing board and into reality.”