Beverley Treasure House reopening after £3.3 million refurb with new name

The Treasure House in Beverley is reopening its doors after essential £3.3 million renovations and will be bookable for wedding parties and other events.

It has been renamed "Champney Treasure House" in honour of John Edward Champney, a local businessman who in the early 20th century made several significant donations to the original Beverley Public Library and Art Gallery. The £3.3 million scheme has enabled the council to make significant improvements to the much-loved museum, archives, café area, tower viewing point, gardens and art gallery whilst relocating and introducing other services to the Champney Treasure House such as the Changing Places facility.

Beverley's Tourist Information Centre (TIC) has relocated to the Champney Treasure House entrance. The Register Office will also relocate, moving from Walkergate House to Champney Treasure House, so residents can register births, deaths and marriages.

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The Beverley Customer Service Centre will also now be located in the building, re-locating from Cross Street. The library has also been enhanced and will feature a fully immersive sensory room and 'Library Now' technology which enables visitors to experience a self-service system outside of core opening hours.

The sensory room will be used by library reminiscence groups, amongst others, for captivating story telling in which the listener will be fully immersed into the story through light and sound. The room can also be used as a calm, quiet space for customers with sensory requirements.

Champney Treasure House will also introduce the Champney Room, a multi-use activity space used to house workshops, author events, as well as many other exciting events.

Wedding parties will have a wonderful experience at this charismatic venue, making the most of photo opportunities in the newly landscaped Champney Gardens on site which are also open to the public to enjoy. Lynsey Helme and Nathan Makey from Hornsea said: "We are really excited to be one of the first couples to be married at the Champney Treasure House. It will be a story we can tell our children, and they can tell their children. Our wedding will become part of the history of the building."

The walls of Beverley Art Gallery have been painted, creating a stunning backdrop for visitors to view the gallery collection which has also had a complete rehang, displaying works from the collection for the very first time. New exhibitions will feature in the gallery upon the reopening such as Phil White’s ‘Waves of Colour’.

The museum has also welcomed a variety of updates during the renovation, including a refreshed area with interactive displays and activities for children with many new exhibitions coming up including ‘Resurrecting Ancient Egypt: A Monumental Yorkshire Journey.’

Councillor Nick Coultish, East Riding of Yorkshire Council ’s cabinet member for culture, leisure and tourism, said: "The opening of Champney Treasure House marks a significant milestone for our community.

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"We are incredibly proud to open this new cultural venue, a space which houses many essential services whilst becoming a destination where people can come together, explore, learn and celebrate. We look forward to seeing Champney Treasure House become a vibrant venue for people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy.’’

Councillor Nigel Wilkinson, East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s cabinet member for finance and governance, said: "This space will offer a variety of services to our community which will be both useful and enjoyable.

"The renovation of Champney Treasure House is a testament to our commitment to fostering a vibrant, diverse, and supportive environment for all residents which ensures best value for money. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this will have on our community."