GALLERY | Sneak peek of £15m Manchester Museum revamp

From “bold moves” to specially curated exhibitions, Tom Brigden of architecture firm Purcell gave Place the inside scoop on the historic attraction’s multi-million-pound transformation.

After 18 months, Manchester Museum is reopening to visitors on Saturday. When they arrive they’ll find a two-storey extension with a new entrance off Oxford Road, exhibition spaces, and a South Asian Gallery.

Brigden, an associate partner at Purcell, expressed his excitement about the designs for the extension when he spoke to Place. While some will focus on the bigger elements of the expansion, for Brigden, the details are worth paying attention to. Specifically, a series of green-glazed terracotta tiles.

In what Brigden described as a “bold move”, the extension is clad in these tiles, provided by Darwen Terracotta and Faience. The bespoke, handmade tiles were inspired directly by the surrounding Victorian and Edwardian buildings nearby. 

Although inspired by its surroundings, the exterior’s unique colour and finish ensures Manchester Museum stands out and gives a taste of the dynamic exhibitions inside.

Architect Purcell designed the extension clad in green-glazed terracotta tiles. Credit: via Manchester Museum

Walking into the museum’s new Oxford Road entrance, the building’s history is instantly showcased within its walls. That is by design.

“We have created a star pattern in the elevation, made up of green and bronze glazed stars… It has been inspired directly by the historic buildings around [the museum],” Brigden said.

While inspiration was drawn from the museum’s historic neighbours, they also posed the biggest challenge to the architect. Brigden told Place North West: “We had to think really carefully about the impact our plans had on listed buildings and make sure they were justified…

“The context of the listed building was a major challenge. We had to make it work functionally, yet it was important to still be able to read the existing elevations and buttresses.”

Brigden celebrated the new exhibition spaces at the museum, which includes the UK’s first gallery dedicated to the South Asian diaspora, curated in partnership with The British Museum. 

“I look forward to seeing what it does in terms of improving inclusion and diversity,” he said.

When visitors explore the South Asian gallery on Saturday, they’ll find an exhibition that explores Manchester and China’s interconnected past. Immersive documentary films capture personal experiences from within Manchester’s Chinese diasporic communities, providing greater context to the diverse groups that call the city home.

Purcell worked on the redevelopment alongside sub-contractors Kier, Wardens, Artistry House, Wilson Mason, Gardiner and Theobald, and Glasshouse.

The £15m redevelopment of the Manchester Museum is supported by public funding from Arts Council England, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and The University of Manchester.

Click any image to launch gallery. All images provided by Manchester Museum.

Related Articles

Hird leaves BDP after 20 years

27 March 2025 09:26 Neil Tague

Manchester-based Matthew Hird has joined rival practice Todd Architects as the firm’s head of healthcare, leading its strategy in the sector across the UK and Ireland.

Marco Living proposes Palatine Road resi

8 January 2025 16:52 Neil Tague Comments (15)

Three buildings would be demolished and replaced by 70 homes across apartments and townhouses in the south Manchester suburbs, a scheme designed by OMI Architects.