Category: Football Museum Wales

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

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.

Celebrating Wrexham and Welsh football in one building!

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).

A major new national visitor attraction for Wrexham

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.”

The Museum is being developed by Wrexham Council’s museum team in association with museum designers, Haley Sharpe Design and architects, Purcell.

Purcell’s Lead Architect for the Wrexham project, Jane Roylance, said: “It has been a rewarding experience to work with Wrexham Council, the stakeholders and the consultant team to transform the iconic Grade II listed building into a new home for the Museum of Two Halves.

“This museum interweaves the rich history of Wrexham with its pivotal role in the development of football in Wales. The work we’ve done will unveil the most significant features of the building, while ensuring public access and enhancing accessibility, wellbeing and learning opportunities. With the contractors now on site, we are witnessing the realisation of Wrexham Council’s vision for the museum, which will undoubtedly draw more visitors to the city.”

Off the drawing board and into reality

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 pivotal new stage. It is great to see the builders on site and hugely exciting to see this nationally important project move off the drawing board and into reality.”

Find out more about the Museum of Two Halves project

A national survey has been launched to help develop a ‘groundbreaking’ new brand for Wrexham’s new ‘Museum of Two Halves’.

Due to open in 2026, the project will see the current Wrexham Museum building on Regent street totally refurbished and redeveloped in to a brand new national attraction.

One half will be an enhanced and expanded Wrexham Museum, dedicated to the heritage and history of the city and county; exploring the stories that shaped its communities across the centuries.

The other half will be a new Football Museum for Wales, celebrating Welsh football, past and present, in all its diversity, from grassroots clubs to the national teams, as well as highlighting Wrexham’s historic achievements in the sport.

The project is being supported with funding from Welsh Government and Wrexham Council, with additional support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Wolfson Foundation. The Museum of Two Halves project has received £1.3m from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Help the new museum stand out from the crowd

The survey will take around 5 minutes to complete and is deigned to help the project team develop an original, exciting new brand that will raise the museum’s national and international profile.

Residents of Wrexham County Borough and football fans across Wales are invited to take part.

Wrexham Council’s Lead Member for Partnerships and Community Safety, Cllr Paul Roberts, said: “The new museum promises to be something very special, a state of the art national attraction celebrating the rich heritage of our County Borough alongside the epic and ever growing story of Welsh football, a sport that has occupied a meaningful place at the heart of communities in every corner of our country for generations.

“We are thrilled that this new museum is going to have it’s home in Wrexham, affectionately known as the ‘spiritual home of Welsh football’ , the city where the Welsh Football Association was formed back in 1876.

“We are now asking for the public to help us build a brand to give the new museum a distinctive identity that reflects what we value in Wrexham and in Welsh football. The brand will define the look and feel of the new museum, not just logos, colours and imagery, but the whole personality of the museum, it’s values and the way it communicates with it’s audiences.”

“I would encourage everyone to spend just 5mins filling in this survey and help us ensure this new museum stands out from the crowd.”

Take part in the survey

Nick Underwood, Senior Project Manager at Fraser Randall has recently returned to Wrexham, his childhood home, and is thrilled to be part of a project so close to his heart.

Fraser Randall have been appointed as Technical Project Managers for Wrexham’s ‘Museum of Two Halves’ – a fully refurbished and enhanced Wrexham Museum alongside a brand new Football Museum for Wales, currently being developed inside the Wrexham Museum building on Regent Street.

Fraser Randall will be responsible for the procurement of the Base build and Fit-Out contractors, as well as managing the Construction phase until the project’s is completed

Recently returning from London to Wrexham with his wife to be closer to family, Nick’s relocation will see him spearhead this project until the museum opens in 2026.

Nick’s client work over recent years includes, the award-winning Imperial War Museum (Second World War Gallery and Holocaust Gallery), Midleton Distillery, Royal College of Surgeons and National Portrait Gallery.

Nick was born and raised in Wrexham on Barkers Lane where he attended the local primary school. At 11 years old his family moved to Rhosrobin where he attended Darland High School before leaving to study at the University of Bristol.

A true football fan – Nick attended his first Wrexham FC game at the age of 4, and followed the team throughout his school years, often returning home to watch the games with local friends. Nick also played for a local side in Wrexham until he was 21 and his claim to fame is that during his teens he won a final at The Racecourse!

Nick says, “As a football fan from the local area, it’s very exciting to be working on the museum project, and giving something back to the community in which I grew up in. Not just for the football, but also the history and culture of the local area. The grade II listed Wrexham Museum building on Regent Street has been a prominent feature in the city centre since it was built in 1857 and it deserves to have a major refurbishment for the local community can enjoy and learning more about the history of Wrexham and Welsh Football.”

More progress for museum project

Wrexham Museum is now closed to the public so that work can begin to prepare the building for redevelopment.

The project is set to be completed in 2026.

Cllr Mark Pritchard, Leader of the Council, said: “I’d like to pass on thanks to everyone involved with the Museum of Two Halves for the brilliant progress they’ve made in helping the project reach this milestone stage. It’s fantastic to see one of our landmark city centre buildings being refurbished into a first class, national attraction. I’m sure everyone in Wrexham will be excited to see how this project develops ahead of the grand opening in 2026.”

The Museum is being developed by Wrexham Council’s museum team in association with museum designers, Haley Sharpe Design and architects, Purcell. The project is being supported with funding from Wrexham Council and Welsh Government, with additional support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The Museum of Two Halves project has received £1.3m from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.”

Find out more about the Museum of Two Halves project

Activity planners have been appointed to help develop an extensive plan of action for Wrexham’s new ‘Museum of Two Halves’.

Wrexham Museum has now closed to the public so the building can be prepared for redevelopment. The new ‘Museum of Two Halves’ is set to open in 2026 and will include a fully refurbished and enhanced Wrexham Museum alongside a brand new Football Museum for Wales.

Cllr Mark Pritchard, Leader of the Council, said: “The new museum project is one of the most exciting and ambitious developments taking place in Wrexham at the moment – a brand new, first class national attraction right here in the city centre. The development of the activity plan is a key part of this project and will present exciting opportunities to interest and inspire audiences all over Wales, and beyond. I’d like to pass on our thanks to the team for the fantastic progress they’ve made in reaching this stage. I’m sure the excitement will continue to build now as we approach the opening in 2026.”

‘Community participation at it’s core’

Thanks to funding by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, activity planners, Emma Parsons and Janice Tullock (from Emma Parsons Consulting and Janice Tullock Associates) are now working with the museum team to establish an exciting plan of activities to be delivered during the development of the project.

The activity plan will cover all sorts of key areas, including marketing, events, exhibitions, learning, volunteering, staff training and much more. These activities will set out how we work with our audiences, including local families, Welsh football fans, local/national/international tourists, under represented communities, and people who don’t currently visit the museum. It will help to show clearly the direction we need to take, enable us to reflect on our successes and the areas we need to improve – all with community participation at its core.

Emma and Janice said: “We are thrilled to be working with the Wrexham museum team on this project. We bring our experience of working on many major developments funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund as well as our passion and enthusiasm for the subjects involved – the story of the people of Wrexham and the story of football in Wales and the connections between the two.”

The Museum is being developed by Wrexham Council’s museum team in association with museum designers, Haley Sharpe Design and architects, Purcell. The project is being supported with funding from Wrexham Council and Welsh Government, with additional support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The Museum of Two Halves project has received £1.3m from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.”

Find out more about the Museum of Two Halves

The ‘Museum of Two Halves’ is our shorthand name to describe the project that will see the development of the Football Museum for Wales and a new Wrexham Museum in the current museum building on Regent Street in Wrexham, Wales.

Wrexham Museum is already home to the Welsh Football Collection. Established in 2000 it is the largest collection of Welsh football memorabilia held in public ownership in Wales. Selected items from the collection are often used for temporary exhibitions, as well as being a resource for researchers, but we do not currently have space to put the entire collection on display.

The new football museum will celebrate Welsh football, past and present, in all its diversity, from grassroots clubs to the national teams, as well as highlighting Wrexham’s historic achievements in the sport and celebrating the rich heritage of the County Borough. New galleries will be created to display the Wrexham Museum collections, and the museum will host a programme of activities and events to inspire all who visit to learn, be active and achieve their potential.

This survey is an important opportunity to share your ideas and comment on our plans.

The survey should take under 10 minutes to complete.

If you wish to be put into a prize draw for £50 of shopping vouchers you’ll have the opportunity to give your details at the end. This prize draw is for UK respondents only.

The deadline for completion is 11pm on September 17th 2023. The winner will be selected at random and notified by 11pm on September 24th 2023. See full terms and conditions outlined at entry.

This is an independent survey being conducted on behalf of Wrexham County Borough Council.

Complete the survey here

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/twohalves

Wrexham Museum, Café and Archives will be closing temporarily for a short period as part of the ‘Museum of Two Halves’ redevelopment project.

The project will see the creation of a new Football Museum for Wales alongside a fully refurbished Wrexham Museum in the current museum building on Regent Street in Wrexham – a major new national attraction for Wrexham City Centre.

The temporary closure in August will allow some initial work to be carried out. Full redevelopment work is due to start at the end of the year.

The Football Museum and refurbished Wrexham Museum are expected to open in 2026.

Full closure dates

• The museum galleries will be closed from Friday 4th August and will reopen from Saturday 12th.
• The Courtyard Café and shop will be closed from 2.30pm on Friday 4th August and will reopen from Saturday 12th August.
• Visitors will not have access to the galleries on the 4th August – just the café and shop until 2.30pm.
• The Archives search room will be closed from Friday 4th August and will reopen from Monday 14th August.

Great progress being made

Cllr Paul Roberts said: “We are now seeing some great progress being made in the development of this major new attraction for the city centre. As well as the building work, we’ve also now appointed activity planners for the project, our team have started running football heritage tours in Wrexham, and our football museum engagement officers have been working extensively with clubs and communities across Wales, building links and collecting stories.

“The team will have a stall at this year’s national Eisteddfod in Boduan next week – another fantastic opportunity to engage with national audiences and spread the word about what we’re doing here in Wrexham.

“We look forward to announcing more exciting developments for the project as it continues to progress over the next few months.”

Find out more about the Museum of Two Halves project.

A further £5.4m is being provided by Welsh Government for the development of the new Football Museum for Wales in Wrexham, the spiritual home of Welsh football.

The funding is part of an agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru.

Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden made the announcement on a visit to the city and comes at a time when interest in Welsh football is at an all-time high.

The development of the new Football Museum is part of a wider project that will see the current Wrexham Museum building on Regent Street fully refurbished and transformed into a ‘museum of two halves’ – a major new national attraction for the city centre.

The Football Museum half of the building will celebrate Welsh football, past and present, in all its diversity, from grassroots clubs to the national teams, as well as highlighting Wrexham’s historic achievements in the sport and celebrating the rich heritage of the County Borough.

Meanwhile, in the same building, new galleries will be created to display the Wrexham Museum collections, which means an enhanced experience for visitors and a first-class, modern venue for discovering the fascinating and eventful story of our region of North East Wales.

Celebrating Wrexham’s ‘unique cultural heritage’

Lead Member for Partnerships and Community Safety at Wrexham County Borough Council, Councillor Paul Roberts, said, “I’d like to thank the Welsh Government for their continued support for Wrexham, the spiritual home of football, to continue to develop the Football Museum for Wales.

“This is a really exciting project as football plays such a large part in our culture and identity and the people of Wrexham and across Wales can now be assured that the Welsh Football Collection will be preserved for present and future generations in Wales.

“This will be developed alongside a new museum for Wrexham which is currently home to a large and interesting collection of historical objects which shows the unique cultural heritage of Wrexham.”

‘We are now at a very exciting stage’

Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden said: “Wrexham is the birthplace of Welsh football so it’s the ideal location to celebrate the sport’s heritage.

“We have seen many successes, especially in recent years, in men’s and women’s football, and ensuring the dramatic and emotive events on the international stage, the history and development of club football in Wales and the spirit and diversity of the Welsh football community is told in one place will be vital for present and future generations.

“The new museum will become a key venue in the city as well as for North Wales’ tourist and visitor offer. It also comes at an exciting time for Wrexham AFC as they aim to get back into the Football League.

“I am grateful to all our partners who we continue to work closely with on this project including Wrexham County Borough Council and the FAW.

“We are now at a very exciting stage and the funding announced today, subject to conditions and approval of a Full Business Case in due course, will see community and pan-Wales engagement on the project continue as well as developing the content, collections and exhibitions through to construction and opening of the new Football Museum for Wales.”

‘Working together to make it happen’

Many themes will be showcased at the Football Museum for Wales in Wrexham including Welsh language communities, fan culture, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities and LGBTQ+ experiences.

Since 2020, more than £800,000 in Welsh Government funding has already ensured the appointment of a dedicated Football Curator and Engagement Officers, the progression of designs, and a pan-Wales public engagement and community consultation to develop proposed plans and content.

Designated Member Siân Gwenllian said: “We have all seen the pride and joy the national team has brought us in recent years and how important football is to Wales.

“This redeveloped museum will celebrate our nation’s contribution to the game and the heritage and legacy it provides for us all. Wrexham, a city steeped in football history, is a fitting home for this exciting project and I am delighted we are working together to make it happen.”

Find out more

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footballmuseumwales@wrexham.gov.uk