PAISLEY Museum has secured a major industry accolade, taking the title of Scotland’s top heritage project at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) awards.
The £68.7 million redevelopment, led collaboratively by Renfrewshire Council and OneRen, was announced as the winner in the Heritage Project category at the RICS Awards Scotland ceremony, held at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.
The ambitious refurbishment was led by Kier Construction and faced competition from The Canna House, The National Trust Scotland; Preston Tower Doocot and Gardens; and John O’Groats Mill to receive the national title. The project will now go forward to compete at the RICS UK Grand Final in October.
Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes, Renfrewshire Council’s spokesperson for culture and chair of OneRen, the leisure and cultural charity who will operate the museum, said, “I’m delighted that the museum has received such positive recognition for its transformation, the work that has been undertaken really is breathtaking. The construction phase of the project is now complete, with Kier Construction bringing AL_A’s ambitious designs to life. The museum will reopen in late 2026, offering thousands of visitors a radical new view of Paisley, Scottish and world stories.
“The museum is the culmination of more than a decade of investment in Paisley’s cultural buildings, and in the town itself, which has changed perceptions of our area and led to it being named Scotland’s Town of the Year recently. I can’t wait for it to reopen and wish the team good luck in the UK Grand Final of the RICS awards in October – I have my fingers crossed!”
Kier Scotland led the submission of the project to the awards and was the lead construction contractor. The firm transformed a design by architects AL_A into a radical visitor attraction tipped to place Paisley among Europe’s leading museum destinations.
Phil McDowell, regional director for Kier Construction North & Scotland, added, “Winning in the heritage category is a powerful recognition of what we set out to achieve at Paisley Museum. Facilities like this museum are vital assets to the community and it is imperative we do all we can now to protect and modernise them for future audiences. Working collaboratively with OneRen and Renfrewshire Council, this project has balanced respect for the town’s rich cultural heritage with modern design and innovation at the heart of the project, ensuring the museum remains relevant, inclusive, and inspiring for generations to come.”
A red-glass accessible entrance and panoramic extension fronts the museum redesign. The A-listed main building and Coats Observatory – the oldest public observatory in Scotland – have been brought up to modern standards, undergoing significant external and internal repairs to deliver refreshed, modern galleries on every floor and double the amount of the museum’s collections on display.
A new outdoor garden and public space has been created, while learning spaces and a Heritage Archive Centre will enhance the visitor experience further – as will a new café and shop.
Exhibition fit-out specialists, Hub Build, are leading the next phase of the project, preparing and installing displays created by exhibition designers OPERA Amsterdam. More than 1,250 objects will be installed in the final phase of the project.
Kerry Gibbs MRICS, UK national awards chair, said, “These awards shine a spotlight on the most inspiring people, projects and innovations shaping the built and natural environment, creating a powerful platform that elevates the profile of chartered surveying and celebrates its impact on communities nationwide. This year we received over 300 entries across all twelve of the RICS regions, so the awards are hugely important. They help demonstrate the positive impact that surveyors, as well as buildings, have on individuals and communities. They promote the role of surveying in making those projects a reality.”
