The National Slate Museum in Llanberis may be getting a big upgrade with new buildings and visitor facilities.
Museum Wales proposed the changes. They want to fix up the Gilfach Ddu site. Much of the work will happen inside the buildings. They will tear down the cafe and shop. New buildings will replace them.
Formal planning consent is not required for some changes. Those changes had been assessed anyway. This site was a 19th-century workshop and part of the Dinorwig slate quarry. It holds well-preserved Victorian buildings.
The museum has a smithy and foundry. It also has steam locomotive repair facilities. The quarry closed in 1969. The museum opened in 1972.
The museum closed temporarily in November 2024. A big £21 million upgrade will happen. It won’t reopen until 2026.
The museum wants to make it better for visitors. They said buildings are getting old and that modern visitor facilities are needed. The new buildings will fit in well and have been carefully designed.
They plan to replace a round shop. A square building will take its place. Designers used the quarry slopes as inspiration. The cafe windows will follow this design.
The museum also wants a new exhibit room in the southern area. They said the Gilfach Ddu site is striking and important to local culture.
Changes need a gentle approach. They want to fix the buildings for the future. The new buildings will match the site by using similar designs and materials.
The current cafe is a modern building. Workers will tear it down and build a new one that will be much bigger. The ground floor will have a cafe, kitchen, toilets, and an education room. The first floor will have another education room with toilets.