Ipswich Museum Redevelopment’s Next Phase Begins

The next phase of the Ipswich Museum Redevelopment project has officially begun, as works progress to the next stage of this exciting transformation. Across the historic building, specialist contractors from HUB Build and Mather & Co are preparing the spaces for transformation, with construction, conservation and design activities all moving forward simultaneously.

So far, the Museum has undergone all major internal and external construction works including repairs to the roof, and a new staircase and lift, alongside the creation of high‑quality internal spaces that will soon house the museum’s exhibitions. You can find out more about this in our previous blog post here. The next phase now is installing the new galleries, displays and interpretation that will bring Ipswich’s stories and collections to life for visitors.

Renowned for their work across heritage & cultural landmarks, including some of the UK’s most iconic museums, HUB Build are working towards fitting out the new interior in our beloved Ipswich Museum. From protecting historic features and completing vital electrical installations to planning the future galleries and exhibitions, it is an exciting time to see the redevelopment beginning to take shape.

What’s Happened so Far?

One of the key priorities on site at the moment is protecting the museum’s new and already existing flooring, in preparation for the display and galleries installation. As work continues throughout the building, it is essential that these historic features are carefully safeguarded. Protective coverings are being installed to ensure floors remain protected while other trades carry out their work, helping to preserve the character and heritage of the museum for future generations.

Significant progress is also being made behind the scenes, with electricians working throughout the museum to install new cabling and infrastructure. The first fix electrical works have now been completed in several areas, creating the foundations for future lighting, displays, interactive exhibits and modern visitor facilities.

Exciting Plans Underway for Future Museum Galleries

The design team from Mather & Co has been working with the museum team, preparing and developing concepts for the museum’s new galleries and exhibitions. Their role has been creating and developing the designs for the layouts and finishes for what the redisplayed galleries will look and feel like. As part of this process, they are creating detailed interior mood boards that will help visualise the look, feel and visitor experience within some of the museum’s most anticipated spaces. These mood boards help demonstrate the selected finishes for each space, helping bring the vision for each gallery to life before installation begins.

“We’re really excited to be part of this next stage of the Ipswich Museum redevelopment, working in such a beautiful, historic building. While the galleries are starting to take shape on site, there is also a huge amount happening behind the scenes within our workshops and across our specialist supply chain.

Working closely with Mather & Co, our teams are now turning the exhibition designs into reality, manufacturing the bespoke setworks, numerous showcases that will house and protect the museum’s magnificent collections, as well as the interactive elements and graphics that will help bring the stories and objects to life for visitors.

Projects like this are particularly rewarding because so many different specialist elements have to come together to create the finished visitor experience. Seeing Mather & Co’s designs progress from detailed design and manufacture through to installation within such an important historic building is incredibly exciting for everyone involved.

We’re really looking forward to the coming months as more of these elements arrive on site and the new galleries begin to come to life.”

Harry Coughlin, Managing Director – Museums, HUB Build

The Start of an Exciting New Chapter

Although these works represent the very beginning of this next phase, they are a visible sign of the incredible progress being made across the site. With construction advancing and exhibition planning already underway, it is an incredibly exciting time for the project. The transformation of our much-loved museum is becoming increasingly visible, and we look forward to sharing more updates as the next chapter of the Ipswich Museum redevelopment unfolds.