Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre has revealed plans for major revamp works to create a ‘bigger and better’ visitor destination.
The family attraction in Great Missenden announced it was going to close for 18 months during the redevelopment from January 2025 until 2026 summer.
The museum’s “exciting new chapter” will see the construction of new gallery spaces and an extension into the neighbouring Wheelers Yard, which was bought up after a donation from the Dahl family.
Museum director Steve Gardam said in a statement: "The Roald Dahl Museum is a charity, and our purpose is to use Roald Dahl’s creative process as a key to help our visitors ‘unlock’ their own stories and creativity. That's why we are so excited to have submitted a planning application for our major capital redevelopment, called the 'Unlocking Stories' project.
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"We see every day the benefits for families and groups when they experience culture, creativity, and heritage together. The Unlocking Stories project is going to make the Museum better… and bigger! Thanks to huge generosity from the Dahl family, we have been able to buy the only adjacent property that allows us to expand. This incredible opportunity means the new Museum will have 50 percent more public space, increasing from three galleries to seven, all with fabulous new displays and accessible activities for all. But from the outside, we will look very much as we do today, nestled neatly in the heart of Great Missenden's historic High Street.”
The museum's planning application to Buckinghamshire Council seeks to make alterations and extend the existing Grade II listed museum buildings, demolish the existing office buildings on Wheelers Yard, construct extensions, courtyard resurfacing and landscaping.
Great Missenden residents can hear all about the plans during information events on Monday, November 13 at 4pm and Thursday, November 16 at 2pm, with the option to visit the museum for free by showing proof of address.
Steve continued: “The Roald Dahl Museum opened nearly 20 years ago so this regeneration project is critical to our future as a vibrant, self-sustaining part of the Buckinghamshire visitor economy. As an independent charity, it is the income from our visitors that keeps the Museum open and preserves Roald Dahl’s archive as part of our national literary heritage. Every ticket, and every gift bought in our shop, helps keep us going. We are investing as much as we can for future generations: the Unlocking Stories project is a big job for a small organisation and we will need every bit of support we can get”
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