M Shed, a new £26.5m flagship museum located in Bristol, is to open its doors to the public on 17 June - two years later than initially planned.

The museum was handed over to Bristol City Council in August 2010 and staff are now due to start work on the installation of thousands of objects and artefacts. A 1950s transit shed have been transformed into the M Shed attraction, which will house a range of working exhibitions such as historic boats, trains and cranes.

Learning spaces; a café; a book and gift shop; a workshop and train shed; and function areas will also be included as part of the M Shed's offer. BAM Construction has delivered the new attraction.

Funding for the scheme has been provided by BCC, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Renaissance South West and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. Julie Finch, head of Bristol's museums and archives, said: "M Shed will be an exciting major addition to Bristol's cultural portfolio.

"For the first time in its history, Bristol will have a museum, free to the public which is dedicated to telling the story of its people its trading past, its modern industries, its culture and its place in the world in the 21st century."