The Council of the Isles of Scilly has launched a consultation on proposals for a new museum and cultural centre. This consultation has been prepared in partnership with the Isles of Scilly Museum and the Islands Partnership.
This is the first of a series of consultations on this project. Your responses will inform our plans, as well as an application for planning permission to redevelop, restore and extend the Town Hall to create a museum and cultural centre. To respond to the consultation, follow the link below:
Respond to the museum and cultural centre proposals consultation
The consultation runs from 10am on Wednesday, 16 March to noon on Friday, 13 May 2022.
If you, or someone you know, cannot complete the survey online or require a copy of the survey in another language or format, please email our Enquiries Team at enquiries@scilly.gov.uk or call 0300 1234 105 (option 5).
The current proposals are to redevelop the Town Hall, changing its current use as Council offices, in order to create an attractive, year-round venue for everyone to access activities, entertainment, skills-development, learning, or simply relax with friends and family. The building would house museum exhibits that tell the Scillonian story, supported by archival research facilities, as well as a performance space for theatre, music and dance, areas for community use and a café overlooking Porthcressa beach. The building will celebrate our beautiful natural landscape, distinctive architecture and meet the highest standards of environmental sustainability. View a walkthrough of the proposed plans
This is an important piece of work as it will enable the provision of a replacement venue for the Isles of Scilly Museum, which was closed in 2019 due to structural issues. It will also provide a replacement venue for the Town Hall space, which was closed for community use in the same year.
The aim is to open the new museum and cultural centre by 2025, however, this timeline is subject to consultation findings and external funding.
Chairman of Council, Councillor Robert Francis, said: “the views of our community are vital to this project, so we are encouraging as many people as possible to respond. We want individuals, local interest groups and local businesses to share their thoughts and ideas. We’re also really excited to have strong support from the Five Islands Academy, as the involvement of young people will be integral to the success of the project. This is a long-term investment in the cultural provision for our islands, as well as an investment in our community wellbeing.”
Lead Member for Housing and Corporate Estate, Councillor Tim Dean, said: “the transformation of our Town Hall into a museum and cultural centre brings an exciting opportunity for our community and visitors. Wet-weather facilities on the Isles of Scilly are currently limited, so having a year-round venue for residents will be an invaluable cultural resource. In addition, it will become a hub for tourism, sign-posting people to our off-islands and telling our Scillonian story.”
Kate Hale, Curator of the Isles of Scilly Museum, said: “we are delighted to be working with the Council and other local partners on this exciting opportunity. The Isles of Scilly Museum is central to sharing Scilly’s heritage. We have a rich local culture and many exciting stories to tell of bravery, resourcefulness and independence, and I hope that a new Museum and Cultural Centre can play a big role in island life in the future. We are keen that everyone on Scilly can contribute ideas to help us get it right.”