The revamp of the Category A-listed Victorian building has been designed by AL_A – led by Stirling Prize winner Amanda Levete.
The project will include a new glazed extension, and will see historic interiors revealed for the first time in many decades.
A new wing to the west of the existing building will allow step-free access through the museum to the Coats Observatory, the oldest public observatory in Scotland.
The Paisley Museum Reimagined scheme is the flagship project within Renfrewshire Council’s £100m investment in cultural venues and outdoor spaces – designed to use the town’s internationally-significant cultural and heritage story to change its future.
Arup is on board as both the structural and building services consultant with Gardiner & Theobald acting as cost consultant and Currie and Brown the project manager.
Cllr Marie McGurk, convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Communities, Housing and Planning Board, said: “The Paisley Museum Reimagined project is at the heart of our bold plans to transform Paisley town centre in the years ahead.
“The designs which have been produced blend the old and the new – they will create a 21st-century visitor experience while preserving a key part of our fantastic architectural legacy, and ensure this much-loved building can stay at the heart of life in the area for generations to come.
“Paisley’s name is already known around the world – and when the museum reopens in 2022 it will allow us to invite the world to come back to Paisley, providing new opportunities, life and footfall for the town centre and wider Renfrewshire area.”
