Torfaen Museum plans will go ahead despite coronavirus delay

The plans, announced in early March last year, feature changes to the entrance, making it easily accessible, as well as a glass extension into the courtyard of the museum.

The proposed glass entrance extension will allow the museum to use the space for stand-alone events and room for hire, while locking off the galleries and storage areas for safe-keeping.

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The plans had been earmarked to be completed by 2022-23, however this has been pushed back due to the pandemic.

“We still want to surge ahead with our plans, it’s just been knocked back 18 month,” said museum curator Deborah-Anne Wildgust. “Once we have settled back in, we’ll start looking at raising the million pounds to get the atrium built.

A model of the proposed extension within the courtyard of the museum. Picture: Torfaen Museum Trust.

“It’ll be a lovely space for the community to use and to host events.

“That’s what we are building up to next.

“We have lost revenue as we haven’t been open, but on the other hand we have been getting grants to help sustain ourselves.

“Because we are core funded by Torfaen council a lot of what we do is for free and is a service for the community. The other half we have to fundraise – like through our membership.

“We are hopeful for the future.”

The chairman of the museum’s trustees, Ivor Davies MBE said: “This is a strong, robust and exciting way forward for the Trust to ensure that the Torfaen Museum continues into the future and has a community focus as well as making sure that the history and culture of our Valley is saved for future generations.”

The museum reopened to the public on Tuesday following changes in the regulations for tourism businesses.

Ms Wildgust said they were “really pleased” to welcome back their volunteers and the public.

She said it felt “a bit strange” to have people back in the museum, with only a skeleton staff there over lockdown carrying out essential work.

Torfaen Museum has reopened to the public after lockdown.

“We have had some of our volunteers back,” she said. “The building’s come to life again rather than just us running around with half the lights on.”

“It’s just woken up,” said trust administrator Jon Smith.

“One of the good things about being closed is it gives us a chance to get the infrastructure up to date. Because of Covid we have had to look at engaging with people more digitally.

Keeping visitors safe at Torfaen Museum.

Signs and sanitiser at Torfaen Museum.

“I think there is more of an appetite from people looking at their local history.

“We are also looking at being a bit more of a destination. Not enough people know we are here.

“But the key thing is not to lose that Torfaen feel. It is one of the things that attracted me to the role.”

Ms Wildgust paid tribute to two members of the museum’s family who have died over the most recent lockdown.

“We have lost one of our key workers Peter Sweeting. We also lost Mike Morgan, a local artist whose work we have on display. We sent our condolences to his son and he said we could keep the exhibition up.

“It’s quite a poignant exhibition as it is about memories. It’s nice to extend it and hopefully people can come and see it.”