Maps — Ground floor of a museum in 1990 and 2010

The two plans show how the ground floor of a museum was reorganised over a period of twenty years, from 1990 to 2010.

Overall, the space given over to visitors was substantially remodelled, with a single large gallery being replaced by two smaller display areas, whereas the service areas around the entrance remained largely untouched.

The most striking changes took place on the right-hand side of the building. In 1990 this area consisted of an archaeology gallery above a local history room. By 2010 the gallery had been converted into a children's interactive zone in the far corner, with a poster display area immediately below it. The local history room survived, although it was reduced in size to make room for the new exhibition space.

Alterations on the opposite side of the floor were more modest. The gift shop was extended to include a café, and a lift was installed just below it, giving visitors access to the upper floors. The natural history room, the museum office, the staircase and the entrance all stayed in their original positions, but the reception counter was set at an angle facing the door, and the statue was moved from beside the stairs to the middle of the floor.