Major construction work is now underway after a £5 million contract has been signed to transform The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has appointed Seddon to deliver the design and build programme, which will create a new entrance, a new foyer café, improved public spaces and increased open storage, meaning artefacts can be seen by the public when not on display.

It will also create an artist in residence room, allowing artists to work alongside, and create artworks inspired by, the museum’s renowned collections. This will create a link between the city’s history and its modern culture and craft.

The project will secure the long-term future of one of the city’s most important cultural venues.

Essential preparatory works have been completed and the main construction phase begins this month.

The museum will reopen in stages from 28 March 2026. From that date, visitors will once again be able to access the Spitfire, the Forum Theatre and Violet’s café which will feature a new display, with managed entry while work continues elsewhere in the building.

Councillor Sarah Hill, cabinet member for finance, anti-poverty and corporate services at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “This £5 million investment protects one of Stoke-on-Trent’s most important cultural assets.

“The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery is home to the world’s largest collection of Staffordshire ceramics and the iconic Spitfire that draws visitors from across the country.

“These improvements will create a stronger entrance, better public spaces and a more welcoming environment, while keeping our nationally significant collections accessible as work progresses.”

The redevelopment is being made possible through a successful bid by Stoke-on-Trent City Council for £5 million from Arts Council England and the Department for Culture Media and Sport Cultural Development Fund.

More information on the new exhibition and an expanded programme of film and documentary screenings in the museum theatre will be announced in the coming weeks.