The museum's vision to improve exhibition, visitor and collection facilities at its Clarence Street site and to create an exceptional regional museum and exhibition facility of world class standard is now a small step closer.

The museum's facilities and development sub committee met on April 16 with the appointed project consultant's - Kylie Winkworth, museums and heritage consultant; Lionel Glendenning, architectural mentor; and BTB architecture studio's Paul Berkemeier, Brent Trousdale and Jason Border.

The design brief process has commenced and over the next six months, the project team will consult with the museum's members, cultural and heritage experts, government, business and the wider community to come up with a preferred schematic design and supporting business case for the upgrade of the Museum.

Port Macquarie Historical Society president Clive Small said this is a much-needed project not only for our museum but also for the whole community, whose cultural collections we hold in trust.

"The upgrade master plan project will ensure we develop a preferred plan to upgrade the museum facility which takes into account the needs not only of the collection now and into the future, but also those of the whole community," he said.

"It will ensure that the proposal is underpinned by a full business case which supports the upgrade proposal.

"Whilst it is too early yet to talk about what the proposed upgrade plans will look like or what such plans will cost to build and fit out, we expect it will be a substantial sum of money."

The project business case will establish the case for investment and the economic benefits that will result from this major project.

"We should also assure our community that the upgrade plans, whatever they may be, will fully protect the future and sustainability of our state heritage listed store building, and the Clarence Street cultural precinct in which we are situated," Mr Smith said.

"As the oldest continuing cultural organisation in our local community it is important that we plan for the future, just as our predecessors did for us over 60 years ago.

"We expect the master plan will help us improve our facilities to meet the cultural heritage needs and expectations of our community into the next century."

Community members interested in learning more about the project will soon be able to subscribe to a project newsletter.

In the meantime, the Port Macquarie Historical Society is also welcoming new members. Members pay a modest yearly membership fee of $20 ($30 for couples), benefits include free entry to the museum all year round, a monthly newsletter and invitations to member only events and exhibition openings.

The museum's upgrade master plan and schematic design project is supported by a $113,965 grant from the regional cultural fund under the NSW government's $1.6 billion regional growth fund that aims to improve economic growth and productivity, and community amenity in regional communities, and a $10,000 community grant from Port Macquarie-Hastings Council.