Paisley Museum is to be transformed and will highlight the town's unique heritage and textile story after being earmarked for a £4.9 million National Lottery grant.
The Renfrewshire landmark is in line for the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) award which follows £24.1 million set aside by local council for a total revamp of £42 million.
The plans are part of a wider drive to benefit Paisley's future through investment in heritage and culture.
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This includes the City of Culture 2021 bid, which is expected to be submitted to the UK Government on Friday.
The proposals hope to reconnect the "globally-recognised" Paisley Pattern with the town that gave it its name.
Renfrewshire Council leader Iain Nicolson said: "This is a wonderful piece of news from HLF and couldn't have come at a better time, with our bid to be UK City of Culture 2021 being lodged this week.
"The museum plans are central to our wider vision to transform the town's future by harnessing the power of Paisley's internationally-significant heritage and cultural story.
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"We know the town centre has its challenges but the way people shop has changed forever - so we have to create new life and new footfall by finding new ways to bring people into the town.
"Paisley can do that by making the most of the unique selling point that is our heritage and textile story - and the museum revamp, along with the museum store due to open this year and the new library will drive new footfall to our high street."
The revamped museum, run by Renfrewshire Leisure, is forecast to attract 125,000 visits a year and provide a £72 million economic boost over 30 years.
It is also expected to support 138 jobs during the construction phase and the equivalent of 42 new permanent jobs through increased visitor spend.
The plans include an extension to the Victorian-era building housing a cafe and shop, improvements to all four museum buildings including the Coats Observatory, changes to physical access and an internal redesign which will double the objects on display.
The £4.9 million funding will be confirmed once a successful stage two application is lodged with HLF.
The new museum is expected to open in 2022, but it is hoped project play a part in any UK City of Culture 2021 year.
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Seona Reid, deputy chairwoman of HLF, said: "I know how much this project means to Paisley and its people.
"It's vital to the great strides that are being made in revitalising the town, using its history and industrial heritage as the building blocks.
"I am delighted that thanks to players of the National Lottery, we are able to give our initial support to a project which will transform the museum and give Paisley's internationally-important textiles and other collections the prominence they deserve."
Paisley is the only Scottish location on the UK City of Culture shortlist and is joined by Coventry, Stoke, Sunderland and Swansea, with the winner to be announced in December.
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