The Higgins, Bedford

Breathing new life into a regional
museum and art gallery

Following a five year redevelopment The Higgins reopened to give the people of Bedford an art gallery and museum that is challenging the popular perception of how a regional museum should look and the breadth and quality of the collections it should contain.

The Museum contains 12 gallery spaces over 1700m2. The world class displays include art, applied arts, archaeological, anthropological and industrial exhibits in addition to personal stories from the people of Bedford. The diverse collections are linked through three key themes: People, Place, Collections.

Designmap worked with the Higgins team to secure HLF funding then delivered the project under a design and build contract for Bedford Borough Council. Our in house team were responsible for 3D and exhibition design, graphic design and design and delivery of all digital media, film and animation.

Their multi-disciplinary approach was particularly relevant to this project, which benefited from their ability to deal with the 3D design requirements as well as graphic design and the development of Audio Visual elements and digital interactives. This approach and further efforts on their part to drive out value helped to deliver a successful project within a tight budget.

Tom Perrett, Head of Collections & Exhibitions, The Higgins, Bedford

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