£2.1 million Heritage Fund grant will nearly quadruple Ballycastle Museum's gallery space

What is the background?

Ballycastle Museum occupies an 18th-century, Grade B+ listed building on Castle Street in the County Antrim coastal town — a former courthouse and market building that has told the story of the area’s archaeology, industrial history, and maritime heritage for years from a cramped footprint. Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, which runs the museum, had been working since 2023 toward a larger overhaul.

What happened?

On 24 June 2026, The National Lottery Heritage Fund confirmed a delivery grant of £2,104,268 — around £2.1 million — to restore, extend, and refurbish Ballycastle Museum. The award follows an initial development grant of £202,981 the fund gave the council in 2023 to design the project. Construction is expected to run roughly two and a half years, with the museum planned to reopen in late 2028.

How did it happen?

The council’s Museum Services, Capital Works and Funding Unit staff worked with volunteers from the Friends of Ballycastle Museum through a multi-year development phase to design what Deputy Mayor Alderman Sandra Hunter called “a conservation-led building project.” The plan incorporates the existing listed building and an adjoining property in Ballycastle’s Conservation Area, expanding gallery space from 64 square metres to 240 square metres — nearly four times its current size. The redevelopment adds a dedicated space for rotating temporary exhibitions and a new workshop and learning area for schools, community groups, and lifelong learning activities, alongside improved accessibility throughout both buildings.

Why does it matter?

Stella Byrne, Head of Investment at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Investing in heritage means investing in the community it belongs to, this project will reinvigorate and expand Ballycastle Museum, provide employment and a range of activities and opportunities for local people and visitors to the area.” She added that the investment “means the Museum can expand its opening hours, increase staff and visitor numbers and reach new audiences.” Alderman Hunter said the council hopes the work “will help to revitalise Castle Street, drawing more visitors into the historic heart of the town.”

What were the key results?

• £2,104,268 (about £2.1 million) delivery grant confirmed by The National Lottery Heritage Fund on 24 June 2026
• Gallery space set to grow from 64 square metres to 240 square metres, nearly quadrupling capacity
• Builds on a £202,981 development grant awarded to the council in 2023
• Project restores an 18th-century, Grade B+ listed former courthouse and market building
• New workshop and learning space planned for schools and community groups
• Reopening targeted for late 2028, after roughly two and a half years of construction

What happens next?

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council said the expanded museum will let it extend opening hours and grow visitor and staff numbers once building work finishes. New interpretation planned for the galleries will cover the area’s early archaeology, its growth as an 18th-century industrial town, the Arts and Crafts Revival, Ballycastle’s maritime heritage, and more recent social history. The council and the Friends of Ballycastle Museum are expected to continue volunteer training and community engagement work through the construction period ahead of the late-2028 reopening.