Cecil Higgins Art Gallery is now closed and is due to re-open in 2009

Two historic buildings in the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery and Bedford Museum complex are to be refurbished thanks to a £2.5 million award by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

This will bring the Bedford Gallery NS Hexagon building back into public use as part of the overall Cecil Higgins Art Gallery and Bedford Museum facilities at the heart of the new Cultural Quarter on Castle Lane. Additional spaces for exhibitions, events and corporate hospitality will be created, storage conditions for the wonderful Collections of the Art Gallery and Museum will be improved.

Bedford Gallery which has not been used for over 35 years, will be brought back to life with high quality spaces that will enable Bedford to host touring exhibitions from national galleries and major family blockbuster exhibitions like Dinosaurs, Batman and Dr Who.  

Refurbishment works to Bedford Gallery include connections through to the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery. The Art Gallery Collections will need protection from dust, vibration and other disturbance during the works.

This unfortunately means that the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery is now closed. The work to Bedford Gallery has started and is due to be completed by 2008.

The refurbishment of Bedford Gallery is the first phase of a planned total refurbishment of the Art Gallery and Bedford Museum facilities. The proposals and future phasing options are being considered and are anticipated later this year. The Council remains committed to the refurbishment of the Art Gallery and Museum and has identified the project as a priority in its new Corporate Plan 2007-2009.

The Cecil Higgins Art Gallery is due to re-open in 2009.