Monday 15 December 2008

Transformation of the Wigan's History Shop

WIGAN History Shop’s £1.3m transformation into a “heritage hub” will begin in earnest on December 23.

Services will be temporarily switched to Wigan Library and will be available from January 5th for the next twelve months as the building where George Orwell once researched ‘The Road to Wigan Pier” is dramatically improved.

Following a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £500,000 and match funding from Wigan Council and Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust the exciting work will see new museum displays, major access improvements, a full refurbishment of the study and research areas and new toilet facilities on the ground floor.

The work is expected to be completed on the Library Street building by early 2010.

Services at Wigan Library, Wigan Town Centre will be scaled down but there will be an active study area manned by heritage staff while the computer based genealogy service will still be available. Heritage services can also be accessed via Leigh Local History (Leigh Library) and Leigh Archives (Leigh Town Hall).

Education and learning outreach work will continue in the community and schools.

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