Two-thirds of building to close for three years

Edinburgh's Royal Museum is to undergo a multi-million pound refurbishment inspired by the success of Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

The £46.4 million project will begin next May and close two-thirds of the museum for three years, including the iconic Victorian entrance hall, creating new space to show thousands of hidden treasures from the museum's vaults. Once completed it will be the largest cultural museum complex outside London.

The Royal Museum first opened its doors in 1886 as the Edinburgh Industrial Museum. The Category A-listed building was Scotland's first national public museum. When the National Museum of Scotland, which will remain open throughout the refurbishment, opened next door in 1998 officials said the Royal Museum began to look "tired". It is hoped the overhaul will restore its reputation.

"It's quite a magical place at the minute but there are some tired looking displays - some are 75 years old," said Jem Fraser, director of the Royal Museum project. "Once you start to explore it I think you get a wee bit disappointed in it because some of the displays are really out of date.

"I think when people go abroad and across the UK and see some of the wonderful museums that there are, with new ways of interpreting, all very hands on and audio visual, they wonder, why we can't do something like that?"

Fraser and her team studied museums across Europe, North America and the UK, but she said that one of the biggest inspirations was found 50 miles to the west: Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. She described the glowing reviews and 3.2 million visitors it has attracted in the past 18 months since reopening after a major refurbishment as a "blueprint" for other museums. It is now the most visited museum in the UK outside London.

"Its success is making us more encouraged," she said. "It did a lot of what we're trying to do. Scotland's very fortunate to have these two great collections on either side of the country."

The Royal Museum project will renovate 16 of the 25 galleries, create two new entrances and a new floor of exhibition space at street level, which is currently used for storage. It will double the amount of exhibits on display, many of which have never been seen before, including a recently discovered fossilised tree trunk studded with amber owned by Scottish conservationist John Muir; a set of Tibetan armour from the 18th century recently on loan to the Metropolitan museum in New York; and newly commissioned art from a Maori artist working in both Maori and celtic traditions.

The giant entrance hall, currently lined with pools full of carp and a firm favourite with visitors, will be renamed the Grand Gallery. "It was built as a gallery but doesn't have a lot of objects in it right now," said Fraser. "When it reopens it will be completely covered in objects. It will be a dramatic area and take it back to what it was originally intended, a wonderful gallery."

The project is being funded by a £17.8m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, one of the largest-ever awards for a project in Scotland, and £16m from the Scottish government. The National Museums of Scotland hopes to secure the rest of the funds from individuals, trusts, foundations and the corporate sector.

The Royal Museum project was the second major refurbishment scheme announced in Edinburgh last week. The National Portrait Gallery is awaiting next Tuesday's Heritage Lottery Fund decision on a £4.8m initial grant for the planned £17m facelift of the gallery.