With the overwhelming success of Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, EDINBURGH'S ROYAL Museum is to be refurbished under a multi-million pound project.

To commence in the next May, the £46.4 million project will require the closure of two thirds of the Museum for not less than three years including the iconic Victorian entrance hall. The refurbishment will create a large space to exhibit show thousands of hidden treasures that are stored in the vaults of the Museum. On its completion, the museum will be the largest of its nature outside London.

Opening its doors for the public in the year 1886, initially the museum was called the Edinburgh Industrial Museum. With the National Museum of Scotland opening its doors in 1998, the Royal Museum wore a tired look. The refurbishment is expected to add new life to this magnificent accomplishment.

The Director of the Royal museum Project Jem Fraser remarked, "It's quite a magical place at the minute but there are some tired looking displays - some are 75 years old. Once you start to explore it I think you get a wee bit disappointed in it because some of the displays are really out of date."

The Royal Museum refurbishment programme is the second largest project announced in Edinburgh last week. Another project to refurbish the National Portrait gallery is awaiting a £4.8m initial grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund as a part of a £17m facelift of the gallery.