Paisley Museum will reopen to the public early in 2027, with the fit-out and install programme due to complete by the end of this year.
The £68.7m redevelopment has suffered several delays, caused first by Covid and then construction snags and soaring inflation, which caused its reopening to be repeatedly pushed back. The museum was expected to open its doors at some point during the second half of 2026.
Renfrewshire Council and OneRen, the charity that runs the museum, have now said that visitors will be able to access the new spaces in 2027. The venue has been closed since 2018.
Once open, it is hoped the museum and its events programme will attract more than 127,000 visitors each year and contribute to the regeneration of Scotland’s largest town and the wider region.
The museum's revamped building was designed by AL_A architecture studio, with exhibition design by Opera Amsterdam, whose other recent projects include the visitor experience for the landmark Bayeux Tapestry exhibition at the British Museum.
“I’m delighted that the fit-out and install programme for Paisley Museum will be complete by the end of this year as I know how excited people are to see the transformation inside for themselves and it will be a fantastic start for the new year,” said councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes, Renfrewshire Council's culture spokesperson and chair of OneRen
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“With more than 1,800 local people having contributed to the redesign of the museum and the stories it will tell, it will be a welcoming place for all our communities to call their own.
"It will also act as an anchor institution for Paisley – attracting visitors to the wider area, supporting local businesses and the economy, and strengthening the town’s national and international profile."
The new museum’s displays will explore the stories of the world-famous Paisley Pattern, fashion icon Pam Hogg and Paisley's textile legacy, as well as Alexander Wilson, the Paisley-born "Father of American Ornithology".
Objects on display will include one of the few surviving copies of Audobon’s Birds of America, rare Cook Islands "staff gods" - sacred relics that are among the last surviving examples of their kind in the world - and artworks by John Byrne, Steven Campbell and the Glasgow Boys.
The majority of objects chosen for display are now packed in preparation for the main install programme, with more than double the amount to be on display than when the museum closed eight years ago.
Around 80% of the objects selected have undergone conservation treatment, including the popular taxidermy specimen, Buddy the Lion.
Harry Coughlin, the managing director, museums UK at Hub Build, which is leading the fit-out, said: “A particular focus for our team has been developing the flexible story display systems, working hard to ensure they are practical while remaining true to Opera Amsterdam’s beautiful design.
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"This adaptability will allow the museum to reconfigure displays in the future, helping to keep the visitor experience fresh and engaging over time.
“It has been a hugely detailed project, involving the manufacture and installation of a wide range of bespoke exhibition elements to display the vast array of objects, as well as hands on interactives.
"Our team is continuing to work closely with Renfrewshire Council and the wider project team as we progress the remaining works, and we’re looking forward to seeing the completed museum open its doors to visitors.”
Earlier this year, Paisley Museum won Scotland’s top heritage project at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors awards held at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.
