Derry North Atlantic (DNA) maritime museum at final stage of approval awaiting DoF sign-off

The Derry North Atlantic (DNA) maritime museum at Ebrington is at the final stage of approval and awaiting sign-off from the Department of Finance.

By Kevin Mullan

Published 8th Mar 2023, 10:17 BST

Updated 8th Mar 2023, 10:17 BST

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The overall projected cost of the new museum has increased over the past year as a result of inflation from £11.4m in January 2022 to £12.7m in January of this year.

Derry City and Strabane District Council has indicated the long-anticipated new visitor attraction which will be located in the old hospital building in Ebrington should open in 2025 if necessary approvals are secured.

"The plans for the new museum in Ebrington, now known as Derry ~ Londonderry on the North Atlantic (DNA) Museum, are making steady progress.

An artist's impression of how the Maritime Museum will look when completed.

An artist's impression of how the Maritime Museum will look when completed.

Work onsite for Derry's £13m DNA museum at Ebrington to start this summer

“The Outline Business Case is in the final stages of approval and is currently under review for final sign off by the Department for Finance. The DNA Project Board meets monthly and includes all of the various funding partners.

“As it stands the project is at RIBA [Royal Institute of British Architects] Stage 4 and once the Outline Business Case has been approved work can commence to procure the contractor,” the local authority confirmed in response to a Freedom of Information release last week.

The Council has said the ‘interpretive narrative’ has been updated for the new facility, which has cost the local authority over half-a-million pounds to date.

The museum will be located in the old hospital building.

The museum will be located in the old hospital building.

“Work has also been undertaken to update the interpretative narrative for the museums with the externally appointed Design Team.

“Associated costs to date - £505,000.00,” it stated.

Derry North Atlantic (DNA) maritime museum to open in 2024 with plans for second grade A office block at landmark Ebrington site

The long-awaited new facility had originally been scheduled to open in time for the proposed ‘Maritime City’ year in 2016.

At a meeting of the Council’s Business and Culture Committee in January it was confirmed the current projected timeline is for work to begin this summer with the aim of the museum opening in 2025.

The Council has spent over half-a-million pounds progressing the project and will contribute an additional £5,304,532 to the overall cost of the project through the Inclusive Future Fund (IFF) once this can be released.

The remainder of the project costs will be met by additional funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Executive Office (TEO), Garfield Weston Foundation, Galewest Investments Ltd., Department for Communities (DfC) and Wolfson Foundation.

Maritime Museum on hold