Venue due to move into new site in 2026

Three firms are working up bids for the new Museum of London being planned in Farringdon.

Mace, Lendlease and Sir Robert McAlpine have just returned bids for the deal which Building understands is being let as a construction management job.

The £332m Museum of London project is being designed by Stanton Williams, Asif Khan and Julian Harrap Architects.

Museum of London West Smithfield

The scheme is set to open its doors in 2026

Last year, Keltbray won the first major phase of construction, including enabling and demolition work, at the West Smithfield site, home to a cluster of former Smithfield Market buildings.

The museum, currently based in a 1970s building at London Wall, is due to close its doors at the end of this year and will reopen in 2026 at its new address when it will be known as the London Museum.

Consultants working on the scheme include QS Gardiner & Theobald, project manager Buro Four, engineer Arup and structures firm AKT II.

The museum’s existing building had been due to be demolished to make way for a concert hall designed by US practice Diller Scofidio & Renfro.

But the £288m Centre for Music project was pulled by the City Corporation last year who said it would launch an international design competition to find an architect to spruce up the 40-year-old Barbican Centre instead.

This job was won this spring by a team featuring Allies and Morrison and Asif Khan The team also includes heritage expert Alan Baxter and engineer Buro Happold. The work has a price tag of between £50m and £150m.