The UK’s ultimate football museum will open in Wrexham this month

Since Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought the (then) fifth-tier Welsh football club back in 2021, Wrexham has become quite the footie destination. Three promotions and a hit Disney+ documentary have followed, while the famous co-owners have transformed the city into a global football pilgrimage site.

Now, Wrexham is getting a major new attraction to match that momentum. The redeveloped Wrexham Museum will house the brand-new Football Museum for Wales, officially opening its doors on September 25. 

The venue is housed inside a Grade II-listed former barracks. Originally constructed in 1857 for the Denbighshire Militia, the building became Wrexham Museum’s home in 1996. The site has just undergone an architectural overhaul by Purcell, the UK’s largest heritage architecture practice, whose previous clients include Westminster Palace and Canterbury Cathedral. Haley Sharpe Design led the exhibition design, backed by funding from the Welsh Government, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund. 

Wrexham’s footballing roots run deep. The city was the birthplace of the Football Association of Wales in 1876, and Wrexham AFC is the third-oldest professional association football club on the planet, dating back to 1864. Because of this history, the museum will serve as the official custodian of the Welsh Football Collection, preserving thousands of historic artifacts. Plans for a dedicated football museum in Wrexham actually began before the Hollywood takeover, back in 2020.

‘The Football Museum of Wales and Wrexham Museum will be a landmark attraction, bringing our nation’s footballing heritage to life while celebrating the rich history and communities of Wrexham,’ said Heledd Fychan, Wales cabinet minister for culture and sport. ‘I’d encourage everyone from Wrexham, and right across Wales to come and experience this superb new venue for themselves.’

More details on the exhibits and tickets will be released in the coming weeks.

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