Trio of museums to receive share of £4m funding boost
Three museums across Yorkshire are set to receive a share of £4m to increase access to their collections.
Cannon Hall Museum’s Cracking Ceramics! project will receive £60,000, Hull Maritime Museum’s Hull: Yorkshire’s Maritime City is set for a £150,000 boost, and a further £187,000 will be delivered to Weston Park, Sheffield, Stories from Ancient Egypt to Sheffield.
A total of 35 museums in the UK will share the £4m fund, Michael Ellis, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism and Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation, announced.
The DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund supports museums across England to improve the quality of displays, enhance exhibition spaces and public access, and increase awareness of their collections.
Jointly funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and philanthropic charity, the Wolfson Foundation, the fund has so far given £48m to help 382 projects at 114 museum groups and galleries since it was started in 2001.
Michael Ellis, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism Michael, said: “Our museums and galleries are among the best in the world and we are rightly proud of these institutions. The DCMS/Wolfson Fund demonstrates how the government and philanthropic organisations can work together to boost our museum sector.
“We want people up and down the country to enjoy culture and heritage wherever they are. The 35 grants awarded today will make important contributions towards improving the visitor experience; ensuring our wonderful collections are open to as many people as possible.”
Other museums include three museums in Manchester which are set to receive a joint total of more than £240,000 to support projects at the Manchester Museum, the People’s History Museum and Chetham’s Library.
Manchester Museum will receive £190,000 for its project ‘hello future’, which will create inclusive and imaginative exhibitions on zoology, earth sciences and archaeology.
Tullie House in Carlisle has received a grant of £252,000 for the project ‘Dressed to Impress’. The museum looks after a collection of fine art, natural science and archeology and this project will improve access for visitors to an exhibition looking at changing fashion styles dating from 1720 onwards.
The DCMS/Wolfson funding will allow the museum to conserve and display 40 outfits for the first time.
Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation, added: “We are delighted to provide this funding through our longstanding partnership with DCMS – an excellent example of how we as a charity can work together fruitfully with government. We are grateful to DCMS for matching our funding.
“One of the great treasures of this country is the sheer quality and range of our heritage collections – stored and displayed in wonderful museums and galleries. This funding will help to provide even better visitor experiences and greater awareness of these fascinating collections.
“A particular joy of this funding round has been the impressive mix of the projects supported: from a dress collection at Carlisle’s Tullie House to temporary exhibition space in Falmouth’s National Maritime Museum.”
