Gilbert Ash completes £13m refurbishment at National Army Museum

As part of the scheme, Nothern Ireland based construction and fit out contractor Gilbert-Ash was involved in a £13m contract; part of the Museum’s Building For The Future project supported by £11.5m from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The company worked closely with architects BDP to complete a reconfiguration of the museum site and create a more accessible and flexible environment to meet the needs of a quarter of a million visitors annually.

Founded in 1960 by Royal Charter, the National Army Museum was established for the purpose of collecting, preserving and exhibiting objects and records relating to the Land Forces of the British Crown. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had a preview of the museum, in Chelsea, in March during which they toured the army gallery and saw the Queen’s own uniform from the Women’s Royal Army Corps.

“This was a highly prestigious project for our company and we were honoured to have senior members of the Royal family preview our work last week,” said Gilbery Ash MD Ray Hutchinson.

“Our brief included building a two-storey extension which will provide dedicated education facilities for the first time for the 200-plus learning groups who visit every year.

“The building has been completed to the highest standard. It involved several complex considerations, including ensuring that the archive space is environmentally controlled to make sure that the collections are properly preserved.

“Gilbert-Ash has become well established in the arts and culture sector and our work includes the 2014 Stirling Prize-winning Everyman Theatre in Liverpool.”

Janice Murray, the musuem’s director general said: “After three years of closure we are eager to reopen the doors.

“The bright new atrium and galleries allow our collections to be shown in a vast number of ways and have been able to give a wider perspective on the Army’s history.