Work could start on DNA maritime museum this autumn with potential opening in 2026

The new timeline emerged as Derry City & Strabane District Council’s Business and Culture Committee were advised final Letters of Offer had now been received from all funding partners for the much-anticipated facility.

Members heard that funding of £12,719,532 has now been secured from all project partners, including Inclusive Future Funding administered through Tourism Northern Ireland (TNI); The Executive Office (TEO); The National Lottery Heritage Fund (Heritage Fund) and Department for Communities (DfC), with additional funding from the Garfield Weston & Galewest Investments Ltd and the Wolfson Foundation.

The Committee received a full report from Council’s Head of Culture Aeidin McCarter, confirming the news and outlining the steps ahead in the delivery of the project.

Members heard that officers can now progress with the appointment of the IST (Integrated Supply Team), followed by the Fit-Out contractor, with works set to commence on site in November 2024.

The goal is to have construction and fit out completed and the museum opening in summer 2026, Ms McCarter confirmed.

Economy Minister Conor Murphy said: “This museum will add to the already vibrant tourist offering in this beautiful and historic city. The interactive attraction will showcase the significant heritage of the city and region. It will tell the story of how it has been shaped, with particular focus on the stories of people who have lived and worked in the area.

“The project will also extend the visitor experience beyond the city centre to the Waterside, generating more jobs and business growth. I look forward to seeing it develop and visiting when completed.”

Dr. Paul Mullan, Director, Northern Ireland at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, the Heritage Fund committed a £2.8million contribution to the repair and refurbishment of the space at Ebrington that will become the Derry-Londonderry North Atlantic Museum.

"In addition, the award will make the City’s archive and collections more accessible highlighting its role as the gateway to the Atlantic and sharing its lesser known international history and global connections.

“Our Heritage 2033 strategy commits to conserving and valuing heritage, for now and the future. We are so pleased to see the realisation of this project that will make heritage accessible, relevant, sustainable and valued.”

Philippa Charles Director of the Garfield Weston Foundation, said: “This is a very significant step in the delivery of the DNA Museum and I am delighted to welcome it today.

"The Museum will play an important role in celebrating the rich maritime heritage of the North West region, and highlighting the strategic importance of the city down through the centuries as a busy centre of trade and industry. I look forward to seeing work begin on site in the coming months.”

Jessica Warner, Head of Funding at the Wolfson Foundation, said: “We are delighted to be involved in this project and to mark an important step in its progress.

"The new DNA Museum offers a wonderful opportunity to engage visitors with the maritime heritage of the area through its fascinating and historic collections. Wolfson remains committed to funding in Northern Ireland and it is excellent to see this project move even closer to becoming a reality.”

Chair of the Business and Culture Committee, Councillor Brian Harte, said: “I am delighted to have reached this milestone in the DNA Museum project.

"It’s the first in our ambitious portfolio of City Deal projects to reach delivery stage which is significant. Over the past few months we have seen some considerable progress in the overall development of the Ebrington site, and the new museum will be another major attraction for visitors. I want to thank all our project partners for their support and acknowledge the tremendous work of the project team to date.

“It’s been a challenging project, with many unavoidable hurdles to overcome, but all the pieces are now in place to begin work on the ground and deliver this exciting strategic development for the North West.”

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

Work is already underway on the interpretative content for all of the galleries. Council officers are also working on a series of engagement sessions and events with key stakeholders and citizens to raise awareness of the status of the DNA Museum project and share more on the interpretative content.

This planned engagement will start this month with an engagement session with the Ebrington tenants and a meeting with the external Historical Advisory Panel.

The engagement process will look ahead to the Foyle Maritime Festival at the end of June and continue over the duration of the project to ensure stakeholders and citizens are kept informed at each relevant stage.

The long-awaited museum in the old hospital building at Ebrington had originally been scheduled to open in time for the proposed ‘Maritime City’ year in 2016, however, the timeline has slipped back on a number of occasions since then and it is now expected to open in 2026.

Last year the Council said work was set to commence in the summer of 2024 with the goal to have construction and fit out completed and the museum opening in 2025.

The much-anticipated new museum will showcase Derry and Lough Foyle’s historic maritime importance over the centuries, including its role as a vital naval base during and after the Second World War.

Onsite work for £12.7m Derry DNA Maritime Museum to start in spring 2024