North Wales tourism attraction gets £12m for 'transformational' change
Now it has been confirmed that site owner Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales has been awarded £12m by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. This means that work on the redevelopment can move forward to the next stage. They said it would "guarantee the future of the Museum and the globally significant story of the North Wales slate industry".
The Grade 1 listed building in Llanberis has been home to the National Slate Museum since 1972 when it was first opened to the public after the closure of the Dinorwig slate quarry in 1969. Works at the Museum will transform the experience for visitors and create a sustainable future for this internationally significant site.
The redevelopment work will retain the essence of the industrial workshops which sit at the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in North Wales, while sharing and celebrating the global story of how slate from this small corner of North West Wales was used to 'roof the world'.
The redevelopment will create a new learning centre, play area, shop and café, as well as improving accessibility throughout the site and creating more opportunities to discover and enjoy the slate story through new exhibitions and interpretation.
Dedicated exhibition spaces will allow Amgueddfa Cymru to share more items from the national collection, bringing more exciting exhibitions to North Wales for the first time and ensuring more people can access and enjoy Wales' national collection. As well as conserving the historic fabric of the site and the collections and stories, the redevelopment will contribute to the regional economy, offering employment opportunities, student work placements and traineeships.
The funding will also enable the site to continue to develop its role as a living museum by offering training and opportunities for people from all backgrounds to enjoy, learn about and develop endangered traditional heritage skills.
Jane Richardson, Chief Executive of Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, said: "We are truly thrilled to have been awarded this significant grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund which means we can progress the redevelopment plans with certainty. This is a key milestone in the Llanberis redevelopment project and is exciting news for us, for the wider community, and for everyone in Wales.
"Thanks to National Lottery players, we can now conserve the history of the National Slate Museum for future generations and move towards a more sustainable future for the Museum which will be more inclusive, more accessible, and which will inspire growth and learning. This will mean even more people can access and enjoy the global success story of North Wales slate."
Andrew White, The National Lottery Heritage Fund Director for Wales, said: "This transformational £12m investment will firmly establish Amgueddfa Lechi as the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage Slate Landscape, unlocking vital opportunities for communities across North Wales.
"It will safeguard the future of this Grade 1 listed site, ensuring the powerful story of slate and the lives it shaped continues to inspire future generations. This project is a bold investment in Cymru's globally significant industrial heritage – delivering skills, apprenticeships and employment, while strengthening both the regional economy and cultural landscape."
Lord Dafydd Wigley, Chair of the Wales Slate Partnership, said: "As the main hub of the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales World Heritage Site, the National Slate Museum has a vital role to play in sharing this important heritage with the public - from local communities to the wider world. This significant investment from The National Lottery Heritage Fund will help to develop this site as a gateway to our history and culture that will engage and inspire generations today and in the future."
Councillor R. Medwyn Hughes, Cabinet Member for Economy and Community, Cyngor Gwynedd, said: "I am delighted to see a sum of this scale being awarded to this heritage location that is so important to Gwynedd, Wales and the World. It recognises the important and rich history that this area has had in roofing the world and will create a deserving resource and boost to the local area."
Alongside this significant grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Amgueddfa Cymru said it is extremely grateful for funding support secured through partnerships with Cyngor Gwynedd (via UK Government) as part of the Llewyrch o'r Llechi project, Welsh Government, and other funders. It is understood total funding is around £21m.
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