Blackpool’s Showtown Museum will open on 15 March 2024, it has been revealed, with tickets going on sale from Autumn 2023.
The opening date was announced by Visit Blackpool, the tourism arm of Blackpool Council.
The museum, operated by the Blackpool Heritage and Museum Trust, has had its opening date pushed back more than once.
Originally planned for a 2021 opening, construction on the museum then began in 2021 and doors were last planned to open in April 2023. The new opening date follows the first photos of its interior, which were shared earlier this year.
Alongside the announcement, Elizabeth Moss has been named as the new Chief Executive of the Blackpool Heritage and Museum Trust.
Moss joins from Heritage Trust for the North West, where she served as CEO. She was previously Chief Operating Officer at Lakeland Arts.
Moss said: “This is such an exciting time to join the Showtown team, as we near the official opening for what will be an incredible, interactive celebration of Blackpool and the fun and entertainment industry that made it famous.
“I would like to thank our partners, Blackpool Council, for the faith they have shown in the museum as a part of their major regeneration plans, and we are very much looking forward to working with them in the future.”
Leader of Blackpool Council, Councillor Lynn Williams, added: “The Showtown museum has been a vital regeneration project for Blackpool and will enable culture-led economic growth, offering a new kind of experience to complement the incredible attractions for which the town is already known.
“We are passionate about continuing to support the full and exciting programme of fantastic community projects that the Showtown team have been leading on, which includes tours, talks and family activities across Blackpool.
“We are looking forward to working in partnership with Liz and the Blackpool Heritage and Museum Trust, to celebrate the history and the future of our town, the Showtown museum and Showtown History Centre.”
