Contractor McKelvey Construction Ltd has started work on the new £15 million DNA Museum in Derry, Northern Ireland.
Construction on the DNA (Derry~Londonderry on the North Atlantic) Museum is expected to be finished by spring 2027.
Once open, the new museum will offer six immersive galleries, a hands-on archive discovery zone, expert genealogy advice, a rotating programme of temporary exhibitions, and a learning and events space.
It will house artefacts that showcase the history of the north west of Ireland, including objects from Derry’s Tower Museum, which will stop operating as a visitor attraction.
New museum for Northern Ireland
Work is now underway to prepare and restore the Tower Museum collections for transfer to the new site, with conservators carrying out specialised work on some artefacts and archives.
Mayor of Derry and Strabane Ruairí McHugh said: “The DNA Museum is a major strategic project within Derry and Strabane’s city deal plan for the wider transformation of the city and district.
“It will be a significant cultural asset which will really enhance the visitor experience here, and help us celebrate and promote the history and heritage of the wider north west.”
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said the museum “will be a vibrant hub of community, a celebration of our culture and heritage and a space that fosters and encourages creativity and innovation”.
“A dynamic new museum space”
For the project, Derry City and Strabane District Council secured nearly £3.5m of National Lottery funding.
Stella Byrne, head of investment for Northern Ireland at the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, the DNA Museum will be a dynamic new museum space that opens up the city’s heritage in fresh and inclusive ways.
“It will share a broad range of stories and present existing and new collections, allowing local people and visitors to explore the unique shared history of this place.”
