Abingdon Museum will throw open its doors this Saturday, after being closed for nearly two years for a multi-million pound revamp.
Horrible Histories actress Martha Howe-Douglas is making an appearance to meet and greet Abingdon residents in the market square at 11am.
She and mayor of Abingdon Monica Lovatt will then cut the ribbon opening the museum.
She plays queens such as Cleopatra, Elizabeth I and Victoria in the BBC’s children’s TV series.
The building has been closed for work since October 2010, but will once again open it’s doors to be one of the English Heritage run properties in Oxfordshire.
Two million pounds granted by the Heritage Lottery Fund was matched by funding from the town, district and county council as well as the fundraising efforts of people such former museum curator Lauren Gilmour.
Cllr Julie Mayhew-Archer, chairwoman of the museums committee on Abingdon Town Council, said it was lucky the council was given such a generous grant. Efforts to secure funding for the project began in 2006.
Cllr Mayhew-Archer said: “I was in the museum on Tuesday night and they have got it pretty much ready. Museum curator Jane Bowen and the team have been beavering away to get everything ready, but whether every last dot and comma will be done I don’t know.
“There is not one tiny part of that building that hasn’t been touched.
“Everything has been cleaned and polished and scrubbed. It is really terrific and beautifully done. We wanted to open as quickly as possible for the school holidays.
Museum curator Jane Bowen said: “It is a grade I listed magnificent 17th century building, and we have undertaken work everywhere, from the basement up to the roof.
“One of the town’s treasures that we are very pleased to see is a late medieval map the town has had in its care for the last 100 years which has undergone some major conservation work.
“We are going to rehang it as one of the very special items from Abingdon.”
“We have got interactive equipment on all floors for people to find out things at the pace they want to go and without having to read everything.
“The museum looks absolutely fantastic.”
It had been 50 years since any major work had taken place at the museum, which had a leaking room and outdated facilities.
Access was also a problem for some people.
Cllr Mayhew-Archer said: “In simple terms, we wanted a bigger, better museum. So what we have now has virtually trebled the space for public use.”
