Paisley Museum reaches a major milestone as construction completes

One of Scotland's great town museums is getting closer to welcoming visitors again. Construction work on the transformation of Paisley Museum has been completed, and the project has moved into its fit-out phase, with the museum now set to reopen to the public in early 2027.

The redevelopment by Renfrewshire Council brings to life a design by international architects AL_A, led by Stirling Prize winner Amanda Levete and Matt Wilkinson. A dramatic red-glass accessible entrance and panoramic extension now front the building on Paisley High Street.

The A-listed main building and Coats Observatory, the oldest public observatory in Scotland, have undergone significant repairs inside and out. The result is refreshed galleries on every floor and double the amount of space for the museum's internationally significant collections. A new outdoor garden opens up previously hidden views of the observatory, and there will be dedicated learning spaces, a heritage centre, a cafe-restaurant and a shop.

Working from the town's collections, the museum team has developed around 100 displays, many co-produced with local people and groups from across the world. It is the first major refurbishment in the museum's 150-year history.

Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes, Renfrewshire Council's spokesperson for culture and chair of OneRen, said the building looks incredible and will be an attraction that local people are proud of, bringing thousands of visitors to the town each year. Amanda Levete said the architecture expresses Paisley's resilience and capacity for reinvention, with light-filled spaces for the community and a red entrance that captures the town's radical spirit.

The museum is the culmination of a decade of investment in Paisley's cultural buildings, including the transformation of Paisley Town Hall, the Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub on the High Street and a refurbishment of Paisley Arts Centre. Once open, it is hoped the museum and its events will attract more than 127,000 visitors a year.

The project has been funded by Renfrewshire Council, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic Environment Scotland and the Scottish Government's Regeneration Capital Grant Fund, along with donors and benefactors.

Paisley Museum will be operated by Renfrewshire's leisure and cultural charity OneRen. Updates on the reopening date will be published at oneren.org.