Over 1,800 local Renfrewshire residents have helped to co-design the new museum, from helping to influence the design and facilities for the museum, as well as the design of the installations and exhibitions. These have been formed together with over 70 local organisations and groups, such as over 500 pupils from schools in Renfrewshire. 

The project is anticipated to bring in over 127,000 visitors per year. The redevelopment is led by Renfrewshire Council in partnership with OneRen.

Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes, Renfrewshire Council’s culture spokesperson and chair of OneRen, said: “With more than 1,800 local people having contributed to the redesign of the museum and the stories it will tell, it will be a welcoming place for all our communities to call their own. 

“It will also act as an anchor institution for Paisley – attracting visitors to the wider area, supporting local businesses and the economy, and strengthening the town’s national and international profile.”  

The museum will present a new view of Paisley, maintaining the preservation of local stories, as part of a museum campus which includes the historic Coats Observatory, Transit House and Oakshaw buildings. 

Over 100 curated displays will be present, many of these have been co-produced with local people and groups from across the world. These include:

• The story behind the Paisley Pattern and how it has become synonymous with Paisley
• Alexander Wilson, the Paisley-born “Father of American Ornithology”  
• Fashion icon Pam Hogg and the textile legacy of Paisley
• Artwork by John Byrne, Steven Campbell as well as the Glasgow Boys  

In an update to Renfrewshire Council’s Leadership Board, councillors were advised that the fit-out programme has advanced into all areas of the museum. 

Harry Coughlin, managing director Museums UK - HUB Build, said: “We’re delighted to be playing a key role in the transformation of Paisley Museum and to see the galleries really beginning to come to life. 

“A particular focus for our team has been developing the flexible story display systems, working hard to ensure they are practical while remaining true to OPERA Amsterdam’s beautiful design. 

“This adaptability will allow the museum to reconfigure displays in the future, helping to keep the visitor experience fresh and engaging over time.”

Coughlin added: “It has been a hugely detailed project, involving the manufacture and installation of a wide range of bespoke exhibition elements to display the vast array of objects, as well as hands on interactives.”

Roughly 80% of the objects chosen needed conservation treatment which has been carried out and benefited from national and international partnerships agreements with the American Museum of Natural History, New York, The Royal Armouries, Leeds, and The People’s History Museum, Manchester.  

Architects AL_A, led by Stirling Prize winner Amanda Levete and Matt Wilkinson, created a design that has been brought to life by Kier.

A red-glass accessible entrance and panoramic extension fronts the new museum with the A-listed main building and Coats Observatory brought up to modern standards, undergoing major external and internal repairs. 

A new outdoor garden and public area has been developed, which opens up previously hidden views of the observatory. 

The completed works are the product of ten years of investment by Renfrewshire Council in the cultural buildings of Paisley.   

The museum project has received funding from the council, with additional funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic Environment Scotland, and the Scottish Government, as well as private fundraising.