Wrexham’s free football museum opens this September

The hoardings around Wrexham’s historic County Buildings are due to come down in late August, revealing a museum redevelopment that will welcome its first visitors a month later. The Football Museum of Wales and Wrexham Museum will open there at 10am on Friday, 25 September 2026.

Admission will be free, although the ticket-booking process has not yet been released. Wrexham Council says those arrangements will be announced in the coming days. The attraction is aimed at local residents, football supporters and visitors interested in the history of Wrexham and Wales.

Football and Wrexham histories will share one building

The project brings the Football Museum of Wales and Wrexham Museum together in a substantially expanded and modernised venue. Its displays will combine the National Wales Football collection with local stories about the people, places and communities that have shaped Wrexham.

Visitors can expect an immersive presentation of Welsh football history alongside the city’s wider heritage. The source does not provide an opening-day programme or identify individual objects that will be on display, but it confirms that both collections will form part of the new visitor experience.

Heledd Fychan, Wales’ cabinet minister for culture and sport, said the museum would bring the country’s football heritage to life while celebrating Wrexham’s communities. Wrexham Council leader Mark Pritchard described the city as the birthplace of Welsh football and said the venue was intended for both national and international visitors.

Grade II Listed County Buildings restored and expanded

The redevelopment has taken place within the Grade II Listed County Buildings in Wrexham city centre. The work has retained the historic character of the building while adding a contemporary museum interior and considerably more exhibition space than the former Wrexham Museum.

Council officials describe the result as an entirely new venue rather than a routine refurbishment. Internal preparations are approaching completion, with the removal of the external hoardings expected to provide the first clear public view of the restored building before opening day.

Interest is already reaching beyond North Wales. Ian Jones, Wrexham Council’s chief officer for economy and planning, said the council had received messages from international visitors hoping to see the National Wales Football collection while travelling in the region.

The redevelopment 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.

Opening-day details confirmed so far

• Event: Opening of the Football Museum of Wales and Wrexham Museum
• Date: Friday, 25 September 2026
• Opening time: 10am
• Venue: County Buildings, Wrexham city centre
• Admission: Free, with booking arrangements still to be announced
• Audience: Local communities, football fans and visitors interested in Welsh sporting and regional history

Free admission should not be treated as confirmation that visitors can arrive without a ticket. The council has not yet published the booking procedure, while transport, accessibility and detailed opening-day arrangements were not included in the announcement.

Further information about free tickets and the visitor experience is due in the coming weeks. Prospective visitors should check the Football Museum of Wales and Wrexham Museum’s official channels before making final plans.

Source: Wrexham Council News