Renovation work inside Ipswich Museum is set to begin next week. 

The museum has sent an application to Ipswich Borough Council for the discharge of conditions regarding internal works. 

The borough council while approving renovation works at the museum back in 2021, had asked the developers to ensure that the museum's historic features are protected. 

Ipswich Museum is set to begin internal construction work on May 7 but is not expected to reopen until 2025. 

Part of the multimillion project includes building a new passenger lift and staircase, along with ramps, seating on the terrace and repair works to the walls, floors and doors. 

Ipswich Borough Council is doing the development with the help of their agent Pringle Richards Sharratt Ltd, who are also the conservation architects on this project. 

They said that the artefacts and the cases have already been moved, and now there is only a need for repair to the building.

For those artefacts that cannot be moved such as the Roman Mosiac in the South Courtyard of the building, they will be covered and staff can only visit those areas on a fortnightly basis to do the renovations. 

A spokesman for Pringle Richards Sharratt Ltd  said: "As a general principle to all protective works, construction staff will be made aware of objects, cases and features that are significant to the understanding of the museum and its heritage, and caution labels fixed to the outside of protective measures – screens, enclosures, wrappings – to ensure their safety throughout the works."

Ipswich Museum is a Grade II* Listed building with Victorian architecture and housing collections special to the town. 

They have been undergoing repair since late 2022, and recently even received funding from National Lottery to begin re-roofing work.

The whole scheme to reopen the museum has been forecasted to cost in the region of £11.4m.