Causeway Coast museum will be “one-stop-shop” for history lovers – MLA Sugden

More than 46,000 items of local, national and international significance will be brought together in a facility specially designed to house the array of delicate and unique exhibits, some dating back many hundreds of years.

“This will be the first time that many of these objects have been shown together in one place,” Ms Sugden said.

“Previously, they were scattered across the borough at a variety of sites, potentially in conditions less than ideal for certain objects and in places inaccessible for many.

“The Causeway Coast area boasts a fascinating history, not least being home to the first known human settlement in Ireland at Mountsandel. Our history should quite rightly be celebrated, and artefacts from throughout this history able to be accessed and enjoyed by everyone living or visiting here.

“Its location in the Diamond Centre also provides another draw to bring people into the town centre, giving a boost to existing businesses and encouraging other enterprises to set up shop there too.

“With a number of vacant units still available in the town centre, filling them with a mix of retail, office, residential, hospitality and leisure opportunities gives people a variety that is the cornerstone of any successful town centre.”

At the moment, Coleraine Town Hall is home to the Coleraine Museum and is open for over six months of the year and features vibrant temporary exhibitions, events and talks inspired by the rich museum collection.