THE former Royal Cornwall Museum is seeking pre-application advice for interior demolitions, alterations and refurbishment to transform the existing space, with the aim of doubling visitor numbers by next year.

Cornwall Museum & Art Gallery – as it is now known – in River Street, Truro, is Cornwall’s largest museum of cultural history and stories about its life and people. It is home to more than one million objects.

For five years, the museum has been carrying out a transformation programme including organisational change, major exhibition refurbishment and significant capital work.

A new board has been established along with a new team of staff and volunteers who have “introduced ways of working that connect with and empower more people”. The museum has been working to become more financially resilient.

Transforming Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery is the final phase of the capital transformation and will secure the future of the Grade II listed building, says a planning statement. The proposed design will address the vision of creating a vibrant cultural hub that celebrates the heritage, art and contemporary culture of Cornwall.

The brief includes flexible gallery space for temporary exhibitions and digital presentations, liaison with appointed specialists on the redesign of the museum, a new permanent exhibition, improvements to the library and archive (including study area), lift and stair access, and the realignment of the cloakroom and toilets.

The statement says: “It is the aim to grow visitors from 30,000 in 2022 to 60,000 visitors by 2027 and engage with more diverse people. This project is a key part of achieving this ambition, alongside our programme of exhibitions and events.

“The ambition is for spaces to be appealing to local people, families, school groups and tourists who already visit the museum, but also ensuring that the museum attracts new visitors from further afield.”

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

For more details see pre-application PA26/00521/PREAPP.