£12M FUNDING TO TRANSFORM ATTRACTION

The money will go towards a £21m redevelopment of museum

- By OWEN HUGHES Business Correspondent [e-mail]

AN ATTRACTION has received £12m for its "transformational" redevelopment. National Slate Museum, Llanberis, is already undergoing significant changes after backing from UK and Welsh government funds and Cyngor Gwynedd.

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 cafe, as well as improving accessibility throughout the site and creating more opportunities to discover and enjoy the slate story through new exhibitions and interpretation.