The National Army Museum has announced that it will open to the public on 30 March, after a three-year £23.75 million re-development project including £11.5 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). 

The Museum has gone through a radical transformation to maximise access to, and engagement with, the collection. The main Chelsea site has been reconfigured with architects BDP to create a more welcoming, accessible and flexible environment, enabling the National Army Museum to manage increasing visitor figures, predicted to reach 400,000 by 2026.
Aiming to be a bridge between the British Army and society, the Museum will encourage greater public engagement with ideas of defence and security, both past and present. 

The new building will include over 2,500 objects in five permanent thematic galleries, laid out over four floors – Soldier, Army, Battle, Society and Insight. There will also be a 500m temporary exhibition space, a study centre, a three-room learning centre, and a brand new café, shop and Play Base, where children aged zero to seven can learn through play.
