Football Museum of Wales opens free in Wrexham on 25 September: what residents need to know
Hoarding panels around Wrexham’s historic County Buildings are due to come down in late August, offering the public its first clearer view of the redeveloped museum.
The Football Museum of Wales and Wrexham Museum will open there at 10am on Friday 25 September 2026, Wrexham Council has confirmed. Entry will be free, although the procedure for booking free tickets has not yet been published.
The city-centre attraction is intended for local residents, football supporters and visitors interested in the history of Wrexham and the Welsh game. It brings two collections together inside a restored and significantly expanded Grade II Listed building.
Welsh football and Wrexham stories under one roof
The redevelopment combines the national Wales football collection with Wrexham Museum’s account of the people, places and communities that shaped the area. The council describes the result as an immersive heritage experience rather than a straightforward refurbishment of the former museum.
Football will provide the national strand, covering the pride, communities and sporting achievements connected with the Welsh game. Alongside it, the local museum will continue to explore Wrexham’s history and identity.
That combination gives the venue a broader audience than a museum focused solely on sport. Heledd Fychan, the Welsh Government’s cabinet minister for culture and sport, said it would bring the nation’s football heritage to life while celebrating Wrexham’s communities.
The project was supported by the Welsh Government, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Transforming Towns, the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund, the Wolfson Foundation, the V&A Purchase Grant Fund and Wrexham Council.
Restored County Buildings become an expanded museum
The new attraction remains inside the original County Buildings, retaining the character of the listed structure while introducing a modernised visitor space. Council chief executive Alwyn Jones said people familiar with the former museum would see a substantial expansion as well as extensive restoration and fit-out work.
Wrexham Council leader Mark Pritchard linked the choice of location to Wrexham’s place as the birthplace of Welsh football. The council expects the museum to serve residents while also drawing visitors from across Wales and further afield.
Ian Jones, the council’s chief officer for economy and planning, said the museum team had already received messages from international visitors interested in seeing the national football collection while travelling in the region.
Readers considering other cultural visits nearby can also explore the 2026 exhibitions at Chester’s Grosvenor Museum.
Who the opening is likely to appeal to
Football supporters will have access to a national collection devoted to the Welsh game, but the local-history displays give the museum a separate reason to visit. Residents can explore stories connected with Wrexham, while families and visitors to North Wales will have a new indoor cultural destination in the city centre.
The council has not released a detailed list of individual displays or opening-day activities. Its confirmed highlights are the national football collection, an immersive museum experience and the restored setting within County Buildings.
Free entry is confirmed, with booking details to follow
The doors are scheduled to open at 10am on 25 September. Admission will be free, but visitors cannot yet follow a published ticket-booking process; Wrexham Council says those arrangements will be announced shortly.
Transport and accessibility information was not included in the opening-date announcement. Prospective visitors should check the Football Museum of Wales and Wrexham Museum’s official website or social-media accounts before travelling, particularly for free-ticket instructions and any further practical guidance.
Additional details about the opening, visitor experience and booking arrangements are due to be released in the coming weeks.
Source: Wrexham Council News
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Source check How this preview was checked
The practical details in this preview were checked against Wrexham Council’s opening-date notice.
- The opening date and 10am start time were matched against the council notice.
- Free admission was distinguished from the still-pending ticket-booking procedure.
- Venue, audience and building details were limited to information in the published announce...
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- Wrexham Council News
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- Wrexham
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- 2026-08-25 19:55
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