Birch ceiling in Weston Park museum

Sheffield's Weston Park Museum was due to reopen in autumn 2005, but work was delayed because of major structural problems. Finally after costs of £17 million the museum reopened on Saturday, 14th October. This report from BBC Sheffield:

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Many of the original features are in place. The building feels like it has been opened up. It is brighter, lighter and more spacious. There are some glass panels on the walls and new glass roofing, bringing more light into the rooms.

Each of the six rooms has a different theme. The Harold Cantor Gallery will contain temporary exhibitions. The first exhibition will be from photographer Faye Chamberlain, documenting the changes to the buildings in the Weston Park project.

Entering through a steel city gateway, you are into the Sheffield Life and Times room. This room shows the skills and the industry that have shaped the city. There are also portraits of some of Sheffield's local heroes, by photographer Harry Borden.

"Sheffield's people, without exception, have been incredibly generous with their time, going out of their way to provide information and photographs from their family archives as well as memories of their own experiences," said Kim Streets, Curator of Social History. She is working on the Sheffield Life and Times display.

Arctic World is a place where children can explore life in a land of ice and snow, with the help of Snowy, the museum's resident polar bear.

There is a curved ceiling with birch beams in the What on Earth room. Here you can find out about Sheffield's changing wildlife, weather and landscape. There will also be two large glass cases: one with a colony of bees, the other with a colony of ants. Both displays are fitted with webcams to see into their world.

There are newly commissioned paintings and sculptures in the About Art room. And in Treasures there is a collection of unexpected, ancient and contemporary things that people have found, loved and saved.

Listen to the words

major structural problems
big problems with parts of the building which could make it unsafe

have fitted out
have decorated and added all of the features

without exception
without anyone being different

going out of their way
being very helpful

archives
historical documents

birch beams
long, thick pieces of a particular kind of wood that are used to hold up a roof

a colony
a large group of animals or insects that live together

newly commissioned paintings
new pictures that people have been paid to produce

ancient
very old

contemporary
modern

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