Blackpool seeks museum architect

Blackpool Council has launched the search for a design team for the Blackpool Heritage Museum, which is set to be created within the Winter Gardens Pavilion Theatre.

The council secured a £1.2m Heritage Lottery Fund grant in May, which will pay for the first development phase. Blackpool Council will then apply for a £20m round two heritage lottery application to put together the museum and artefacts.

The museum is scheduled to open in 2018.

Alongside the tender for the architect design team, the council is inviting applications for the role of interpretative design team.

The council is also currently recruiting for a number of newly-created posts to take the lead on public engagement, research, learning and skills development, and is going through a procurement process for the project management function.

Within the tender document, the council said: "Blackpool is at the beginning of an incredibly exciting journey. Blackpool was the first mass seaside resort created for the working class in the world. It has an internationally important history. Indeed Blackpool remains the byword for the seaside holiday worldwide. It has a unique place in the development of British popular culture, but nowhere is this fascinating story told.

"Blackpool Council has set out to create a brand new Museum for Blackpool which will bring together the heritage, artefacts, stories and memories which together tell the local, national and international Blackpool story."

The deadline for receipt of tenders is 17 October at noon.