Seven Stories Visitor Centre is now open! Part 1

After lots of hard work behind the scenes, we are very glad to announce that the gleaming refurbished building is now open! 

Seven Stories opened almost ten years ago, and hasn't closed since (with the exception of Christmas, Easter and staff training days!), so this past thirteen weeks have felt quite unusual for the behind the scenes team. It has meant huge amounts of work from all staff to make sure the centre is ready on time, and the Exhibitions and Collections team have been on site installing the three new exhibitions since 22nd June.

We will have posts all about the new exhibitions in the upcoming weeks, but for now we will leave you with a few shots of the galleries as they went in.

Gallery on level 4 and 5. During the refurbishment, the galleries were undergoing a mini transformation. The floors were cleaned and resurfaced, the AC units were fitted with attenuation units to reduce the noise, and the walls were resurfaced, ready for many more years of exhibitions.

The gallery on level 6, previously the Storylab Gallery and now the Gillian Dickinson Gallery, has had an entirely new floor installed and new air conditioning installed.

After being allowed back in to the building, we set to work fitting the walls in to place, and painting up all the many different areas of the gallery.

Fitting curved walls. 

Moving cases to their new positions.

Many of the walls in Rhyme Around the World include back panels to access the AV equipment - this is Craig fitting the television in the map area. It will show a series of nursery rhymes from around the world.

Stef showing the unpainted Morrison shelter in the Painting with Rainbows exhibition.

Workstation for the graphic installation in Painting with Rainbows.

Some of the build for Painting with Rainbows arriving. This is the skyline from Say Hello by Michael and Jack Foreman.

Chris putting together Henry Friston's arbour, from the book Ali Pasha by Michael Foreman. 

Dom and Doug putting down vinyl flowers in the War and Peas area of Painting with Rainbows.

Naomi installing some of her beautifully crafted textile works in the galleries. She also made most of the costumes in both galleries! 

Gill exploring the gorgeous new boat, based on Jane Ray's illustration for the cover of Over the Hills and Far Away.

Ben working on AV in Rhyme Around the World.

Gwen painting some final touches to the regal area of Rhyme Around the World. 

Amanda cutting grass to fit on the Dinosaurs and all That Rubbish activity table.

Kris fitting the grass to the Dinosaurs and all That Rubbish activity table.

Gill and Colin installing the beautiful vine in Painting with Rainbows. It is there at the end of the exhibition for visitors to leave with a thought of hope for the future.

Jen setting up artwork in the Paddington exhibition.

Gill and Kris putting up artwork in Painting with Rainbows.  

Artwork laid out ready to be hung in Painting with Rainbows. 

Artwork waiting to be hung in Rhyme Around the World.

See installment TWO of this blog post for the finished gallery images!

If you can visit in person, we would love to see you! For more details about opening hours and a host of events, click here.