Work has begun on the design phase of the project, which will address long-standing issues with accessibility, conserve the historic building fabric, and enhance the visitor experience to tell important stories of biodiversity and to showcase the unique heritage building.
This project forms part of the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin's programme of investments under the National Development Plan, which will see many National Cultural Institutions restored, renewed and future-proofed for generations to come.
Commenting on this phase of the project, Minister Martin, said: "Today is an extremely significant day for the National Museum of Ireland (NMI) as the National Museum of Ireland - Natural History moves to the next phase of this important project under our National Development Plan. The National Museum of Ireland - Natural History occupies a unique place in our cultural landscape and, for me, is growing in importance in terms of the stories the collection tells about our biodiversity.
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"I welcome the work of the National Museum of Ireland - Natural History in using the natural history collection for biodiversity research, including the establishing of a baseline for Ireland's biodiversity and in increasing awareness of the biodiversity crisis and climate change."
Chair of the National Museum of Ireland, Catherine Heaney, added: "The National Museum of Ireland - Natural History site is a much loved and cherished part of our cultural heritage. This investment enables the NMI to take the refurbishment project to the next stage, which will allow for greater accessibility to the building and collection as well as a much improved visitor experience. One hundred and sixty five years since this museum first opened its doors, these collections continue to intrigue and excite visitors of all ages. This work will enable greater engagement with some of the most important global challenges including biodiversity loss and climate change."
The project is being progressed by the National Museum of Ireland, in partnership with the OPW, and the tender process to appoint a design team to deliver this next phase of the project will launch in 2023.
