Eager visitors are being encouraged to get their hard hats and hi-vis jackets ready, to go on a behind the scenes tour of the site of the Hereford museum.

The museum service said that guided tours will take place at the site in Broad Street on selected days during October, and will offer an opportunity for their first glimpse inside the building since it closed to the public.

Wearing safety gear, participants will explore both the public and private spaces of the building and hear about both current and future plans for the building.

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Visitors will be shown key exhibition spaces, the upper floors including the former curators flat, and will learn about ongoing improvements aimed at enhancing visitors experience.

Damian Etheraads, museum and art gallery lead at Herefordshire Council, said, “We are thrilled to offer these hard hat tours as a way to connect with our community and share the exciting developments at Hereford Museum and Art Gallery. This is a rare opportunity to see the behind-the-scenes work and learn about the redevelopment first-hand.”

The council have said that the project will allow the county to fulfil its ambition of creating a "dynamic social space at the heart of the city", and provide a place where people can engage in cultural and historical activities.

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The redevelopment of the building includes eight modernised galleries and display spaces, a temporary exhibition space, the restoration of the historic Woolhope Club Room and new commercial areas including a retail space, a roof-top café and events and education space.

A recent new progress report from its main backer Herefordshire Council calls redevelopment of the prominent listed building in the city’s Broad Street “a key priority”.

But it says “cost consultants” have now put the total cost of the project at £21.8 million, while the current budget for it is £19.23 million.

The project has already secured £10.83 million from the government, National Lottery and most recently, Arts Council England, on top of £8.4 million approved from the council’s own coffers, while further funding bids from other sources “are also being explored”, the council has said.