A MAJOR overhaul of the city's Royal Museum was today awarded £16.7 million of lottery funding.
The grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund means work on the first phase of the £46m project can get under way within 18 months.
The Scottish Executive was today also expected to announce its support for the scheme, which will see the creation of a
new entrance hall and lifts, as well as internal renovations to the Victorian building on Chambers Street.
New exhibition spaces have also been included as part of the project, which will double the number of exhibits on display and allow the museum to host international-class exhibitions once the work is completed in 2011.
Among the plans are a mini-planetarium and exhibits suspended from the ceiling, as well as a drive to encourage people to visit the often-bypassed upper floors by providing new stairs and lifts.
The project is at the heart of a 15-year National Museums of Scotland revamp of the building, under plans by city firm Gareth Hopkins Architects.
Brian Lang, of the Heritage Lottery Fund, said: "New life will be breathed into this remarkable building and treasures that have been stored away for years will now be brought out for people to enjoy.
"We are delighted to be part of a project which will showcase Scotland's outstanding national collections for visitors from home and overseas."
Plans for the museum also include the controversial removal of the museum's famous goldfish ponds, which sparked outcry among visitors last year when the move was first proposed.
Visitors claimed the fish, which have lived in the entrance hall for more than 30 years, were the first port of call for youngsters when visiting the historic attraction.
The ponds, which occupy most of the main hall's floor space, will be axed in a bid to create more room for corporate functions and new exhibits, including an ancient reindeer skeleton.
But the museum has not ruled out the possibility the fish could be re-homed elsewhere in the building as work is completed.
Lottery chiefs had already given initial approval for the grant but today's announcement confirmed the move.
It is thought preparations to move some of the museum exhibits will begin at the National Museums Collections Centre at Granton later this year.
The project will be paid for by a mix of the heritage lottery grant, museum sponsors and the Scottish Executive.
The revamp was unanimously approved by councillors at a planning meeting last month.
A £5.8m lottery grant was also awarded today for a new museum and visitor attraction in Ayrshire dedicated to Scotland's most famous bard, Robert Burns.
The project will involve creating a new museum housing the world's largest and most important collection of Burns memorabilia.
