Twenty-four museums across England have been awarded a share of £4m to improve access to arts, heritage and culture.
The money comes from a partnership between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Wolfson Foundation.
Announced on Friday (10th April), the fund combines £2m in government support with £2m from the charity. It has now provided more than £50m over 24 years, supporting over 440 projects across the UK.
Grants are used to improve displays, upgrade facilities, strengthen conversation work and make exhibitions more accessible to visitors.
On Thursday, Baroness Twycross, the museums minister and Paul Ramsbottom, chief executive of the Wolfson Foundation, visited Norwich Castle which has received £228,900. The museum plans to upgrade gallery infrastructure and reinterpret collections.
Other major awards include £272,000 for the Black Country Living Museum to restore historic electric trolleybuses and extend them through a recreated mid-20th century high street.
The Museum of Hartlepool has been awarded £218,400 for a new temporary exhibitions gallery and improved collections storage, including climate-controlled facilities.
Kirkleatham Museum will use £272,000 to redevelop its permanent galleries around themes of industry, people and heritage.
Baroness Twycross said: ‘We want to ensure that everyone, everywhere can experience arts and culture in the area they call home and this fund plays a key role in making that possible.
‘The DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund demonstrates how public funding and private philanthropy can work together to open up access to museums and galleries for those who might otherwise face barriers, and help more people enjoy the UK’s world-class collections.’
Paul Ramsbottom added: ‘Museums are among the great treasures of British cultural life. They preserve the collections and stories that speak of our shared creativity and community heritage.
‘This latest round of funding from the long-standing DCMS/Wolfson partnership allows museums – and particularly regional museums – to upgrade their facilities and improve access to their collections, so more of us can enjoy the fascinating wonders on our doorstep.’
Image: Hester Qiang/UnSplash
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