The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh is set to undergo a £46.4m redevelopment after a contractor was appointed to carry out the work.

Balfour Beatty has been selected for the three-year Royal Museum Project, which will see the creation of 14 new galleries and two hands-on discovery centres at the attraction. The project will also involve building a larger gallery for international touring exhibitions, new education facilities and a learning centre, as well as the creation of an entire new floor below the main hall, incorporating a new street-level entrance, a restaurant, a shop and a visitor reception area.

More than half of the museum site will remain open to the public during the development, including the whole of the Museum of Scotland building and the Connect Gallery. Work is expected to be completed by 2011. Tim Clarke, managing director of Balfour Beatty's Scottish Division, said: "The Royal Museum is one of Scotland's most popular visitor attractions and over the next 26 months we look forward to working on this challenging but ultimately rewarding refurbishment contract."

Funding for the Royal Museum Project has come from a number of sources, including £17.8m from the Heritage Lottery Fund, and £16m from the Scottish Government. A further £7.8m has come from private sources, and National Museums Scotland is seeking contributions from individuals, trusts, foundations and the corporate sector to obtain the remaining £4.8m. Image: Trustees of the National Museums of Scotland