The overall projected cost of the new museum has increased over the past year as a result of inflation from £11.4m in January 2022 to £12.7m in January of this year. Derry City and Strabane District Council has indicated the long-anticipated new visitor attraction which will be located in the old hospital building in Ebrington should open in 2025 if necessary approvals are secured, reports Derry Journal.
About the new museum
“The plans for the new museum in Ebrington, now known as Derry ~ Londonderry on the North Atlantic (DNA) Museum, are making steady progress.
“The Outline Business Case is in the final stages of approval and is currently under review for final sign off by the Department for Finance. The DNA Project Board meets monthly and includes all of the various funding partners.
“As it stands the project is at RIBA [Royal Institute of British Architects] Stage 4 and once the Outline Business Case has been approved work can commence to procure the contractor,” the local authority confirmed in response to a Freedom of Information release last week.
The Council has said the ‘interpretive narrative’ has been updated for the new facility, which has cost the local authority over half-a-million pounds to date.
“Work has also been undertaken to update the interpretative narrative for the museums with the externally appointed Design Team.
The long-awaited new facility had originally been scheduled to open in time for the proposed ‘Maritime City’ year in 2016.
“Associated costs to date – £505,000.00,” it stated.
Derry North Atlantic (DNA) maritime museum to open in 2024 with plans for second grade A office block at landmark Ebrington site
At a meeting of the Council’s Business and Culture Committee in January it was confirmed the current projected timeline is for work to begin this summer with the aim of the museum opening in 2025.
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Source: Derry Journal
