VIDEO: WARRINGTON Museum & Library has officially opened a temporary new Pop-up home in Golden Square while work gets underway at their 164-year-old home in the town centre.
These much-loved services have temporarily upped-sticks and moved over to the shopping centre to allow for essential maintenance work to be carried out on the historic Museum Street building and is free to enter and open seven days a week.
Ideally situated between WH Smith and Waterstones, more than 8,500 books have been transferred from the library into Golden Square, alongside some interesting artefacts and paintings from the town’s Museum and Art Gallery.
The official ribbon-cutting ceremony was presided over by Warrington Borough Councillor Tony Higgins, chair of Culture Warrington Maureen Banner, chair of LiveWire Alan Yates and director of Golden Square Ian Cox.
The celebrations will continue throughout the weekend and beyond as roaming actors from Community Objectives will be moving around the shopping centre to engage with passers-by and introduce them to the new site.
There’s also the chance of winning a six-month free LiveWire leisure membership as part of LiveWire’s new #KEYTOHEALTH competition – simply snap a selfie in front of the branded poster that can be found in the library area and share it on LiveWire’s social media pages to be entered into the prize draw.
Emma Hutchinson, managing director of Culture Warrington and LiveWire – the sister companies that operate the museum and library said: “Staff from the Museum & Library have been working tirelessly over the past few weeks to create an inspiring new space for our visitors and I’m thrilled with the results.
“Featuring highlights from both the museum and library, the Pop-Up is an exciting, engaging burst of cultural activity that will grow and develop over the coming weeks as Covid restrictions begin to lift.”
For now, visitors can access all of the Museum & Library’s essential services, including book lending, IT and archives services, and highlights from the museum’s extensive collection, with plans in place for the long-awaited return of reading, digital, and craft activities very soon.
The unit will be open between 10am and 4.30pm on weekdays, 10am to 4pm on Saturdays, and 11am to 3pm on Sundays.
Meanwhile, the 164-year old, Grade-II listed building in Museum Street will be closed for approximately six months while restoration work is completed, including vital repairs to the roof, after which the services will return to their permanent home.
The council’s Cabinet Member for leisure and community, Cllr Tony Higgins, added: “We’ve made a commitment to invest in the future of our libraries, and Warrington Central Library – which is 164 years old and a Grade II listed building – is an important part of that. These renovation and repair works are about preserving our heritage and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the first rate-supported library in the UK, so it is fit for the future.
“I’m delighted that, while this vital work project is carried out, Warrington Museum & Library’s services will be moving to a new, temporary home in the heart of our town. The pop-up museum & library in Golden Square is ideally placed to serve as a hive of literature, learning, creativity, heritage and culture, to be enjoyed by everyone who visits our town centre.”
