BRITAIN’S oldest public museum has been shortlisted to win a top architectural award following its £61m redevelopment.

Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum, which reopened in November with double the exhibition space it previously had, is one of three Oxfordshire architectural schemes now in with a shout of winning a prestigious Royal Academy of British Architects (RIBA) 2010 award.

The £61m renovation scheme replaced the entire Ashmolean building, with the exception of the Grade I-listed Victorian building fronting on to Beaumont Street, which dates back to 1845.

The other two are the new 150-seater auditorium at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and a private house at Wootton, near Woodstock.

Henry Kiom, director of the redevelopment project at the Ashmolean, said: “We are thrilled with the new building and delighted the architects are receiving recognition for what is an iconic building.

“It has really captured the public’s imagination.

“You can see it in their eyes as they enter the new space, which opens up like a Tardis.

“It’s a huge success story.

“In the five months since we reopened in November, we have welcomed 400,000 visitors – more than came in an entire year before the redevelopment.

“We confidently expect to hit the million mark this year.”

The Oxfordshire projects are three out of the 10 potential award winners named in the RIBA South region of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, and Oxfordshire.

The Ashmolean and Corpus Christi projects were both designed by Rick Mather Architects of London. The private house was designed by Cirencester firm Yiangou Architects.

The Ashmolean renovation features 39 new galleries, including an education centre, conservation studios and a rooftop restaurant.

RIBA spokesman Sarah Briginshaw said: “Judges will visit the 10 finalists in the South of England on April 8 and 9 to decide which should receive plaques stating that they are award winners.”

Winners, to be announced in each RIBA region on May 20, will be eligible to go forward for the RIBA Stirling Prize.

The Ashmolean, which received £15m from the Heritage Lottery Fund for its renovation, is also in the running to become the top Lottery-funded project of 2009. The museum, founded by antiquarian Elias Ashmole in the 17th century, is also one of 11 contenders for the £100,000 Art Fund Prize.

Winning the Art Fund Prize carries with it the accolade of Museum of the Year. The public can vote at artfund.org