Ashmolean Museum

The Museum, which was built in 1683 making it Britain’s oldest, re-opened to the public in November 2009 following a ten month closure. The expanded exhibition space boasts 39 new galleries surrounding an imposing Portland stone staircase in the main atrium.

Main contractor BAM Construction appointed Putney & Wood to carry out the internal stonework package. This included the aforementioned ‘cascading’ stone staircase and large expanses of 1200X600mm Portland stone slabs for flooring. The staircase is illuminated by natural light from above and gives visitors access to all six floors of the Museum.

Tony O’Keeffe of BAM said, “The stone staircase in the main atrium is a central part of the building. The design and installation were complicated but Putney & Wood completed the stonework to our satisfaction. Their workmanship was good and their team performed well, I’d have no problem using them again”.