It’s the first time we’d been in the Harris Museum and needed hard hats and hi-viz jackets, but it was Friday the 13th. Our tour was arranged for members of the Friends of the Harris as a preview of the building before they start bringing in the collections. We were generously guided by Programmes & Collections Manager, James, and by Fundraising & Development Officer, Robina.
The first room visited was the Family Library although temptingly we could see the Ground Floor Rotunda which would enable sight of the main feature of the building which is the view up 100feet and the new lantern roof.
The Harris Rotunda and the new lantern ceiling window from where the awe inducing Foucault Pendulum will swing, demonstrating our planet’s rotation.
The rooms look large without furniture and collections. This will be the entrance room from Lancaster Road, note the uncovered fireplaces:
Looking up the stairs:
The First Floor Discover Preston Gallery will have a light refresh but will be largely unchanged. The Harris Office has moved down into the basement creating a new gallery space and IT Hub, and the Reading Rooms will also host events.
The first floor with a view of the Miller Arcade upper floors. The museum format will be a ‘blended’ display where related items will be displayed together rather than divided by collection.
The Balcony Area on the upper floor. The tone of the wall paint is darker on higher floors where the light is brighter.
The frieze between floors:
Looking down: 
Looking up to the Egyptian Gallery:
A closer view of the lantern:
Down in the basement, the staff office and collections storage will take up some of the space:
Other areas seen were the modern toilet facilities in the area next to the Flag Market and the new location for the cafe on the ground floor. Also the new stairs at the Lancaster Road side.
The big question is; When will it re-open? You may ask but let’s say next year just in case.
It was a good tour mirroring the one we had after the building was emptied and before the work began in 2022.
Related posts on our website:
Here’s our Harris webpage which has a short piece about our last visit on the 6th May 2022. Click here
Here’s a post dated 2022 on our blog about ‘the Harris your place’. The original proposal – Click here
Here’s a post on this blog about The Friends of the Harris visit to the Lancashire Conservation Studio. Click here