Region’s museums will gain from £60m fund to safeguard heritage
A MULTI-MILLION pound fund has been announced for some of the country’s leading museums, galleries and heritage organisations to ensure nationally important collections and heritage are protected for future generations.
The Government has announced the £60m in funding, which has been awarded to organisations including The Royal Armouries in Leeds, National Museum of Science and Media in Bradford and Wakefield’s National Coal Mining Museum.
The money has supported 100 projects for essential maintenance works that were stalled due to the Covid-19 crisis to allow institutions to welcome back visitors this summer.
The £60m investment in some of the nation’s beloved institutions builds on the almost £2bn invested in the arts, heritage and cultural sectors through the Culture Recovery Fund, which has supported more than 5,000 organisations during the pandemic.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “We’ve given £60m to safeguard the priceless collections and heritage at many of our beloved cultural institutions so they can be enjoyed by future generations.
“This builds on our £2bn Culture Recovery Fund, ensuring that we continue to protect our heritage and culture throughout this pandemic and are able to open up our historic institutions for everyone to enjoy this summer.”
The funding will increase accessibility at national tourist attractions including the Royal Armouries in Leeds and the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford.
The Royal Armouries director general, Dr Edward Impey, said: “We are delighted to be able to invest a substantial sum in the infrastructure of the Royal Armouries Museum at Leeds.
“One of the improvements this makes possible is the installation of a Changing Places toilet, a gold standard facility for the use of people with severe disabilities, including those with profound and multiple learning difficulties. This will not only be of value to visitors and provide a public service during opening hours, but encourage more people to visit the museum and explore Leeds Dock and the South Bank area of Leeds city centre.”
The Royal Armouries in Leeds and the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford will both use their grants to improve accessibility for those with impaired mobility. A new Changing Places toilet will be opened at the Armouries and the Bradford museum will reconfigure its entrances and modernise lifts.
Funding for the National Railway Museum in York will go towards decarbonisation projects such as LED lighting upgrades, roof insulation and new glazing.
Jonathan Newby, the acting director of the Science Museum
Group, which oversees both the Bradford and York museums, said: “This funding is vital to our work to reduce our carbon footprint and ensure our museums are accessible and welcoming to everyone who visits.”
A total of £6.1m has been awarded to the Science Museum Group and the Royal Armouries has received £1.1m. The National Coal Mining Museum, which is part of the Science Museum Group, has been given £1m.
The funding from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has also been given to venues including the V&A, the Natural History Museum and the British Library.
This funding is vital to our work to reduce our carbon footprint. Jonathan Newby, acting director of the Science Museum Group.