The reconstruction of the Gayer Barracks in H. Králové has so far cost 150 million.

Hradec Králové - The reconstruction of the Gayer Barracks in the center of Hradec Králové into a modern museum depot is more than halfway complete. So far, construction costs have exceeded 151 million crowns including VAT out of a total of about 250 million crowns with VAT. This was stated by the spokesman for the regional authority, Dan Lechmann. Work began last autumn and is expected to be completed by mid-2021.

"Work on the facade is ongoing, installations of utilities, heating, and other interior work are taking place," Lechmann said. Work is expected to continue through the winter; the region does not anticipate delays due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The museum is established by the Hradec Králové Region, which is also the investor in the construction. Most of the costs will be covered by a European grant from the IROP. Before the renovation, the former barracks housed specialized workplaces of the Museum of Eastern Bohemia and storage facilities; during the work, these will be located in temporary spaces.

The project also includes the construction of a new building that will provide research facilities. It will be connected to the historic building by a glass corridor, which is being constructed above the remnants of a wall - a bastion that has been discovered. The extension is based on piles, taking into account the original discovery of the bastion, so part of the archaeological finds will be visible through a glass floor.

The nearby Vrbenský Barracks are also set to undergo reconstruction, which, together with the Gayer Barracks and other buildings, forms a single complex. In the currently unused building of the Vrbenský Barracks, the museum's natural history collection and a regional archaeological exhibition will be displayed. There will also be an information center in the Vrbenský Barracks.

The goal of the region and the city is to create a museum campus within the complex, with adjoining spaces for holding various events. The Vrbenský Barracks still belong to the city, even though an agreement has already been reached for their transfer to the region's ownership.