Key handover marks start of Harris Your Place multi million pound restoration work at Preston's Harris museum and art gallery

The handover was a signal that construction work has begun and the re-opening of Preston’s Harris Museum and Art Gallery is one step nearer.

Coun Peter Kelly, cabinet member for arts and culture at Preston City Council passed the ornate ceremonial key to Michael Conlon, executive chairman of Conlon Construction on August 19 to mark the beginning of the renovation works for the £14m Harris Your Place project.

The project will see the Harris transformed to create a “21st-century community, cultural and learning space that will redefine the city of Preston”.

Describing it as a “transformational journey” Coun Kelly praised the team effort which had gone into removing, cleaning, protecting and storing the much-loved contents of the Harris. In all 250,000 items have been moved ranging from oil paintings to perfume bottles, sculptures to drawings and prints.

In advance of the key handover Michael Conlon said: “Conlon Construction has called the city home for the last 60 years and the Harris fed the imaginations of our team on visits when we were children. It even served as the venue for my own wedding last year. Our many connections to the Harris make this quite a unique and special project for all of us at Conlon.”

The Harris will re-open to the public in Spring 2024 with new displays, new creative s

Key facts

The ceremonial key was designed by Alfred Gilbert and was first used to open the Harris in 1893 by the 16th Earl of Derby, Arthur Stanley.

The key comrpises an Art Nouveau style openwork terminal enclosing a rock crystal drop below a finial crown. It featuring the enamelled coat of arms of the Stanley family and the arms of his wife, Lady Constance Villers, the eldest daughter of the 4th Earl of Claredon.

The”re-imagined” Harris will also include library services. It is estimated the new look Harris will attract a further 100,000 visitors a year on top of the existing 350,000, making it a must see visitor destination.

The Harris is currently operating from other local spaces including Preston’s Guild Hall.