10 Oct 2017
Geffrye Museum closing January for two-year redevelopment
BY Tom Anstey
London’s Geffrye Museum will close in January ahead of a £18.1m (US$23.8m, €20.2m) transformation to create new spaces for its collections and library.
Founded in 1914, the Geffrye Museum specialises in the history of English domestic home interiors, showing the changing styles through 11 displayed period rooms, from 1600 to the present day.
Called 'Unlocking the Geffrye', the plans by London architecture firm Wright & Wright will allow visitors to explore new areas of the building, creating 50 per cent more room and adding two floors to its public space.
The plans will also make the museum more accessible, with a new entrance with improved visitor facilities opening opposite Hoxton Station. Other additions include learning and event spaces, as well as a new café.
The Geffrye will close on 7 January for almost two years while the redevelopment takes place. Throughout the closure the museum will be running a series of events and activities in its front gardens, while the restored almshouse will be open for tours on selected dates through 2018 and 2019.
“We are about to embark on our transformational development project, which will mean the museum will close on 7 January 2018 for two years,” a museum spokesperson told Attractions Management.
“In the meantime, the museum is very much open for business and visitors can look forward to a packed winter programme of events, including our annual Christmas Past exhibition which opens on 21 November. We will then say goodbye to both Christmas and the museum with a big closing party during the weekend of 6 and 7 January.”
The redevelopment has received the bulk of its funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), which has given £12.3m (US$16.2m, €13.7m) to the project, with further funds coming from trusts, foundations and private investors, as well as the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
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