Showtown Museum

BLACKPOOL, UK
Opened 2024

Nestled in the heart of Blackpool, Showtown is a vibrant and immersive museum dedicated to celebrating the rich history of entertainment and the performing arts. Known for its captivating exhibits and interactive experiences, Showtown offers a nostalgic journey through Blackpool's legendary entertainment scene. Greenway Associates served as the Cost Consultant, Procurement Manager, and Principal Designer for the display.

OUR ROLE

Greenway Associates, led by cultural projects expert Jared Mensah, were the appointed Quantity Surveyor, Procurement Manager, and Principal Designer for Showtown Museum in Blackpool.

Our involvement with this project dates back about 7 years, when we prepared a cost and procurement proposal for the originally intended site. We led the team in liaising with funders and other key stakeholders. After several analyses and reviews, the current site in the Sands Building on the Promenade was selected instead.

THE PROJECT

Showtown is one of Blackpool Council’s major capital projects and is partially funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Set right in the middle of Blackpool on the promenade, this new attraction captures the spirit of this amazing town.

It features the first permanent displays in a UK public museum dedicated to circus, magic, variety and ballroom dance. The exhibition includes over 800 objects from Blackpool’s internationally significant collections. Additionally, it showcases items on loan from national partners, including the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Exhibits tell the stories of comedians, acrobats, dancers, visitors and entertainers - all of whom have made Blackpool into the vacation destination it is today.

CHALLENGES

Due to some challenges, the site for the project was changed during the early design stages. Meticulous cost planning and analysis was required to advise the client and funders on the impact of this change. We liaised closely with architects, exhibition designers and other stakeholders to ensure that any potential gaps and overlaps in scope and cost were identified and mitigated.