Manchester Museum to close temporarily to allow for £13.5 million renovation

Manchester Museum at the University of Manchester is to temporarily close until next year for the final stage of a £13.5 million transformation project.

The museum will be closed to the public from 29 August until late 2022 so construction work can take place.

The project - hello future - will include a two-storey extension and new galleries including a large Exhibition Hall, Belonging Gallery, the Lee Kai Hung Chinese Culture Gallery, and the South Asia Gallery.

The South Asia Gallery, a partnership gallery with the British Museum, will be the first ever permanent exhibition space in the UK dedicated to exploring the stories, experiences and contributions of South Asian communities.

The museum’s opening hours will be extended until 9pm on 26 and 27 August to give more people the chance to experience the collections before doors close.

Manchester Museum’s Director Esme Ward said they look forward to opening the doors to hello future in 2022 and welcoming visitors to a bigger, more imaginative and even more inclusive museum.

“hello future is a hugely important project that aims to build understanding between cultures and create a more sustainable world. Once complete, visitors will experience exhibitions that tell new, powerful stories and engage with big ideas.

“We are excited to have reached the final stage of our transformation and I want to reassure our visitors that although our doors will temporarily close, we are still here for you. Manchester Museum exists beyond a building. Throughout the closure, we will be holding pop-up events and outreach programmes, and our collections are all available to explore online."