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.”