Old Museum Building: Back to Life public consultation is launched

The project focuses on the future regeneration and options for the re-use the Old Museum Building, 7 College Square North, Belfast as an engaging, and dynamic place to promote Northern Ireland’s built heritage and history to a wider audience.f

The Old Museum Building is a grade A listed building that is on the Heritage At Risk Register.

Despite being in use for almost 200 years, and part occupied, the Old Museum Building needs a comprehensive programme of regeneration works and a sustainable future use to ensure its continued survival.

It is proposed to restore and regenerate the Old Museum Building, the former ‘Belfast Museum’, bringing it back to life as a home for built heritage and history through a partnership between Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society and Ulster Architectural Heritage.

The current outline proposals for the building include provision of a full-time centre for built heritage and history used by the Ulster Architectural Heritage, flexible spaces of approximately 40 and 80 seating capacity for events/exhibitions/ad-hoc rental and long term let to others, preferably like-minded environment/heritage partner organisation or, instead, for commercial use.

Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society and Ulster Architectural Heritage have been kindly supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Northern Ireland to develop phase one which was to outline plans for the building’s future 2019.

And now public feedback is being sought on the building’s history and outline plans looking at how the premises will move into the future and hopefully survive another 200 plus years.

The consultation takes the form of two surveys, one entitled ‘Sharing Stories’, focused on the history of the Old Museum Building and is seeking local memories and photos.

A second survey entitled ‘The Way Ahead’ is focused on the Old Museum Building’s future as a centre for built heritage and history.

Visitors are invited to take part in either, or both, to help Ulster Architectural Heritage and Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society shape the future of this important building for future generations to enjoy. The consultation closes at midnight on August 20.

Alun Evans, President of the BNHPS, outlined how the society had moulded museums today and need to engage as many people as possible in the conversation on the future of this important grade A listed building.

He continued: “The Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society was “…not formed upon any narrow and merely utilitarian basis”.

“It played a central role in the intellectual and scientific development of Victorian Belfast, and beyond.

“It established Ireland’s first Museum, funded by public subscription, the Botanic Gardens, the Ulster Journal of Archaeology, and contributed to our museums of today.

“It continues these traditions through its Lecture Programmes, but its role is ripe for diversification.”

Highlighting the importance of the consultation and the need for community feedback, David Johnston, Chairman of UAH, explained: “Ulster Architectural Heritage has for nearly five years been based at the Old Museum Building, working in partnership with BNHPS to plan the building’s future. We look forward to moving forward with restoration and reuse in the near future subject to funding. This new consultation is an important step in the project, taking into consideration the views of the general public, to help shape plans for the Old Museum as a centre for built heritage and history.’

Survey 1: SHARING STORIES: https://www.ulsterarchitecturalheritage.org.uk/old-museum-building-sharing-stories/

Survey 2: THE WAY AHEAD: https://www.ulsterarchitecturalheritage.org.uk/old-museum-building-the-way-ahead/

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