WREXHAM Council is hoping people fall in love with the town’s new museum when it re-opens on Valentine’s Day following a £2 million facelift.

Welsh historian Professor John Davies will cut the ribbon to declare the museum officially open on Monday with a ceremony at 1.30pm.

The new-look museum is the centerpiece of a major community heritage project funded by Wrexham Council with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Welsh Assembly Government.

Over the past 12 months the museum has undergone a transformation which includes a host of new attractions and interactive displays designed for all the family.

These include:
- A new family friendly gallery offering the chance to see some of museum’s finest collections while enjoying the stories they tell about Wrexham’s heritage.

- A new gallery to showcase national collections from around Wales.

- A large glazed extension to house the Bwtri, the new relaxing coffee area and museum shop.

The museum’s newest gallery will proudly display Hall of Heroes – The Candidates, an exhibition dedicated to the Welsh Football Association players who have earned their caps at the Wrexham Racecourse ground.

The museum also features two other galleries which pay homage to Wrexham’s heritage.

One is Our Heritage, Our Stories, a unique exhibition put together in partnership with local history societies from around Wrexham which aims to tell stories from their local communities through carefully selected historic objects.

Amgueddfa Cymru, together with the National Library of Wales, is planning an exhibition in a new dedicated space in the museum this summer which will tell the cultural story of Wales through its national collections.

The aim is to celebrate the arrival of the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham and mark 150 years of the biggest event in the Welsh social calendar.

Also displayed in Wrexham will be information about the People's Collection Wales, a contemporary, interactive and bilingual online experience dedicated to the history of Wales and its people. It can be found at www.peoplescollectionwales.co.uk.

Cllr Bob Dutton, deputy leader for the council and lead member for communities and performance, said: “The museum and archives has been sorely missed since it closure at the end of 2009.

“It is excellent news for the people of Wrexham, especially the younger generation, that it is re-opening following a substantial investment programme.

“I would encourage as many people as possible to come down to the Museum on Monday to experience the new exhibitions and explore their heritage.”