One of Cardiff's most iconic buildings has reopened its doors to the public as an events and visitor attraction, following the completion of a £1.26m revamp.

Located on the Welsh National Assembly's Cardiff Bay estate, refurbishment of the Pierhead building was carried out by Penarth-based R and M Williams and has seen a number of multi-use spaces created to host exhibitions. One of the Pierhead's new exhibitions gives visitors the chance to explore the history of Wales, with an audio-visual display of Welsh icons who have made contributions to the country's culture and political identity.

Another of the attraction's exhibitions is dedicated to milestones in the history of Wales, showcasing artefacts such as the original binnacle from Scott of the Antarctic's ship, Terra Nova. An 'Oral Histories' room provides the opportunity for visitors to listen to audio accounts of people's memories of Cardiff Bay, including former First Minister Rhodri Morgan and historian Neil Sinclair.

Meanwhile, the Main Hall exhibition area, which will also function as a space for events, continues to house the safe that is believed to have been used to store the first million-pound cheque signed at the nearby Coal Exchange. Mansfield-based Realm Projects completed the fit-out of the exhibition, which was designed by Houghton Kneale Design (HKD). Paul Covell designed the attraction's theatre and lighting aspects, while Vaughan Sounds Installations and Port Talbot-based blackbox-av were also involved with the scheme.

Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, presiding officer for the National Assembly for Wales, said: "Cardiff Bay has been at the forefront of Welsh economic and civil identity for the best part of 200 years, from its role as one of the biggest ports in the world during the age of King Coal to its current role at the centre of governance in a devolved Wales. "The Pierhead has been a central part of the Cardiff Bay landscape, having witnessed colossal change in the last century. We, the community, and stakeholders, felt that celebrating the building's past, as well as establishing it as a public arena for Assembly-sponsored events and conferences would be the best way to preserve its character."