The Football Galleries at The Museum of Two Halves, design courtesy of Haley Sharpe
Wrexham’s combined museum project seeks public vote between Welsh names ‘Tŷ Hanes’ and ‘Histordy’ ahead of its 2026 opening, featuring local and football history galleries
A new museum which is to house the current Wrexham Museum and Football Museum Wales galleries is to be named by the public.
Set to open in 2026, construction work has already begun on the museum which had previously been dubbed the ‘museum of two halves’ during its development. Wrexham Council has now asked the public to select from a shortlist of two names to give the project a permanent moniker.
The shortlisted names are ‘Tŷ Hanes’, which means “History House” and which the council said “makes it feel cosy, like a home full of stories to be told”, or Histordy, a combination of the words “histor” from the word history and “stordy” meaning storehouse in Welsh.
The council explained: “In Welsh, words ending in “-dy” often mean special places, such as archifdy (archives), injândy (engine house), or goleudy (lighthouse). Histordy is easy to pronounce for both English and Welsh speakers.”
The Museum is being developed by Wrexham Council’s museum team in association with museum designers, Haley Sharpe Design, architects Purcell and contractor SWG Construction.
Funding support for the new museum is provided by Wrexham Council, Welsh Government, National Lottery Heritage Fund, UK Government and the Wolfson Foundation.
Councillor Paul Roberts, Wrexham Council’s Lead Member for Partnerships, said: “With new, state of the art galleries and a fully refurbished and extended building, the museum will be a new national attraction for Wrexham, drawing thousands of visitors from all over Wales and beyond.
“Construction work has been progressing well on site over the last few weeks and there’s a real buzz growing around the project as the scale of the ambitious plans for this new museum are becoming visible.
“We are now asking the public to helps us choose an overall name for the museum that will encompass the Wrexham Museum and Football Museum Wales galleries, the shop and the cafe, the entire attraction.
“The new name will help give the new museum a distinctive identity, drawing together everything on offer under its roof, as well as launching a new chapter in the life of one of Wrexham’s most iconic buildings.
“We invite everyone to complete the questionnaire and be part of this historic moment.”Welsh Government Minister for Culture, Jack Sargeant, added: “Whether it’s ‘Tŷ Hanes’ or ‘Histordy’, each name reflects our nation’s pride to preserve its diverse history. Your voice will shape this museum’s legacy – please give your views and be part of a new chapter in Wales’ rich story.”
