The Galway City Museum is inviting bids from architects to project manage the design, planning approval process and construction of a major expansion to its waterside building.
The budget for the project is believed to be €6.5 million.
The intention is to transform the Galway City Museum site into a cultural hub which would encompass Comerford House and the Spanish Arch structure.
Fáilte Ireland is understood to have approved funding for the design stage. The hope is that it will commit to meeting €4.5m of the total bill.
Consultants have highlighted the current building’s limitations in terms of the display and conservation of its collections. One of the problems is the amount of glass in the building which makes its unsuitable for displaying light-sensitive objects for long periods.
Despite this, the museum describes itself as ‘well-functioning’ and ‘punching above its weight’ with regard to visitor numbers and exhibitions.
It is the second most popular non-fee paying attraction outside the capital.
