St Fagans National History Museum – Wales’ most popular heritage attraction – has named Kier Group as lead-developer for a £25m (US$40m, €31.5m) renovation of the site.

With funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Welsh government, the Cardiff museum has started on the makeover, which will include both new build and refurbishment work.

A new £16m (US$25.8m, €20.2m) sustainable building, designed by lead architecture practice Purcell, will be built in the on-site woodland, celebrating the skills of craftsmen past and present – dating back as far as 230,000BC.

The museum’s main building will be transformed during the project, with the construction of new galleries, learning areas and visitor facilities to be completed by 2017. Kier will also construct a covered atrium that will form part of a new entrance area for the museum, as well as a restaurant and catering facilities.

"The complete redevelopment of the main building and the construction of a multi-purpose sustainable building will be key to our vision of a new St Fagan's,” said Bethan Lewis, head of St Fagan's National History Museum. “We look forward to working with Kier to develop exciting spaces that will allow us to interpret the history of our nation and also reflect a diverse and forward-looking Wales."