Balfour Beatty Construction Limited has been appointed as a contractor on the Royal Museum Project, the £46.4m redevelopment of the National Museum of Scotland site in Chambers Street, Edinburgh.

The three-year project will transform the much loved Museum through the creation of 14 new galleries, two hands-on discovery centres, a larger gallery for international touring exhibitions, new facilities for education and a state of the art learning centre to inspire visitors of all ages.

BBCL was appointed by competitive tender to work as part of a team that includes Gareth Hoskins Architects, structural engineers David Narro Associates, building services engineers Max Fordham, Lend Lease Projects, Turner & Townsend Management Solutions, Gardiner and Theobald and exhibition designers Ralph Appelbaum Associates to implement the project, which is due for completion in 2011.

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Building work is scheduled to begin this year with around half of the National Museum of Scotland complex already closed to allow preparatory work to get underway. A whole new floor will be created beneath the main hall, forming a new street level entrance, restaurant, shop, cloakroom and visitor reception area.

Dr Gordon Rintoul, Director of National Museums Scotland, said: "BBCL demonstrated the experience and capacity to undertake a project of this scope in a landmark public building. We look forward to working with them to realise our ambitious plans for this much-loved building."

Tim Clarke, Managing Director, Balfour Beatty Construction Scottish Division said: "We are delighted to have secured this major new award from National Museums Scotland. The Royal Museum is one of Scotland's most popular visitor attractions and over the next 26 months we look forward to working closely with our client and their advisors on this challenging but ultimately rewarding refurbishment contract"

(GK/NS)