Paisley Museum reopening delayed again until 2026

The entrance building will be made of red glass

Paisley Museum will not reopen until the second half of 2026 after a revamp was hit by "unforeseen issues".

The project, which aims to create a world-class visitor destination, was originally scheduled to be completed in 2022, but has been delayed multiple times.

Last December Renfrewshire Council agreed to put an extra £12.5m into the project, raising the total budget to just over £65m.

Construction was scheduled to be completed by July at the time of the budget increase, but that has now been pushed back to the end of this year.

The revamp - the first in the museum's 150 year history - is part of a four-pronged investment by Renfrewshire Council attempting to increase visits to Paisley.

It includes work on Paisley Town Hall, the town's arts centre and a new library.

However a council report last year found delays had been caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, followed by restricted working conditions and shortage of materials in the aftermath of the virus.

Construction cost inflation then raised the budget further, having originally been set at £42m.

A joint statement from the council and charity OneRen said work has proved "complex and challenging, with a number of unforeseen issues only able to be identified when construction was underway".

The statement added: "The contractors Kier, have encountered a number of unforeseen issues which have impacted the timeline for completion and by extension, the opening."

However both organisations now expect work to be completed by the end of 2025, which would then let the local authority begin filling the museum with items.

Once completed the museum should host 60 digital displays, a new garden gallery, a public courtyard, a café and picnic areas.

Gallery space should increase by around 25%, giving room for hundreds more items to be put on display.

It has been funded by Renfrewshire Council, the Scottish government, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic Environment Scotland and a charitable fundraising campaign.