Danum Gallery, Library & Museum

Designed by Bond Bryan architects, the new Danum Gallery, Library and Museum in Doncaster is a bold and ambitious restoration of four existing buildings to form a single cultural hub.

Keen to preserve the Victorian frontage of Doncaster high School for Girls, the architects decided to make it into the central exhibit of the scheme. This was achieved by restoring and encasing the whole façade in glass using Senior’s SF52 curtain walling. The result is a stunning focal point and a unique exhibit which looks even more dramatic when lit up at night.

SF52 curtain walling was chosen for its slim sightlines, which allow extensive views of the schools’s restored period features, and also flood the interior of the new building with light, to give it a welcoming light and airy feel. As a bonus, the system’s enhanced thermal performance helps to improve the scheme’s overall energy efficiency and keep heating bills down. A robust and secure entrance via the façade, was created by inserting Senior’s SPW501 commercial doors into the curtain wall.

Built over four stories, this £15 Million project is now home to the Doncaster Library, Museum, and Art Gallery as well as the Rail Heritage Centre. There’s also a café, meeting and conference spaces, plus an internal courtyard, as well as an amphitheatre space for use by local amateur dramatics groups.

Much thought has been given to accessibility including the needs of those with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, so that everyone in the community can explore and enjoy the rich cultural heritage of this former rail town.

The virtual opening took place in March 2021 during Covid Lockdown via a virtual tour. Now open to the public, visitors can see many previously locked away exhibits and two fabulous locomotive engines built in Doncaster, the No. 251 and Green Arrow.

It is hoped that over time the new building will become a cultural hub that will inspire creativity, informal learning, and innovation.