Glastonbury's most iconic landmark is stepping into a brand new chapter this week – and locals are being urged to come and see it for themselves.

The Glastonbury Abbey Yard, a £multi-million revamp of the abbey's entrance, café and gift shop, will officially open to the public at 10am on Thursday 10 April. It's the second major project to be completed under the town's ambitious Town Deal scheme, and marks a major milestone for one of Somerset's best-loved historic sites.

Visitors will now enter through the original gates to a brand new open-air space at the heart of the site. Alongside the new Yard Café, Gift Shop and Admissions, the stunning 16th-century St Patrick's Chapel will also be open to all – and, for the first time, free to access.

Later in the day, a private event will see the Yard formally launched, with speeches from representatives of Glastonbury Town Deal, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Glastonbury Abbey itself.

Lynne Sedgmore, speaking for the Glastonbury Town Deal Board, called the site "a beautiful new space in the centre of town," adding: "Do come and experience it for yourself. I thank everyone involved in creating such a successful outcome and I look forward to the opening day."

Stuart McLeod of The National Lottery Heritage Fund said the space would serve as the "perfect gateway" for people to learn about Glastonbury's extraordinary heritage, while boosting the town's economy and sense of identity.

Glastonbury Abbey's Director and project lead, Janet Bell MBE, said she hoped the new Abbey Yard would strengthen the connection between the site and the town it sits at the heart of.

"We're very excited to unveil the Glastonbury Abbey Yard and this new phase for the abbey," she said. "This space we have created will foster an even stronger connection between the abbey and the people of Glastonbury, as well as with our visitors from all over the world."

The Yard itself has serious historical roots. In medieval times it was the abbey's Inner Court, where pilgrims would arrive and receive food and shelter. Over the centuries, it's been everything from a farmyard to the site of an inn, before being restored as a public-facing entrance in the early 20th century.

Now, with fresh investment and a top-to-bottom transformation, it's ready once again to welcome visitors from all walks of life – from the devout to the curious, and everyone in between.

The project, part of the Government-funded Glastonbury Town Deal, has also been backed by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Headley Trust, the Wolfson Foundation and Benefact Trust.

Ahead of the grand unveiling, the abbey will close early at 3:15pm on Tuesday 8 April and remain shut on Wednesday 9 April, reopening at 10am on Thursday for public access – before closing again at 3pm for the official ceremony.

For Glastonbury, it's a big moment. And for the abbey – almost a thousand years on from its heyday – it's proof that some legends only get better with age.