Dorset County Museum secures HLF grant
Dorchester venue planning extension and redevelopment
Dorset County Museum in Dorchester has secured a £11m Heritage Lottery Fund grant for an extension and redevelopment.
The £14.9m scheme includes a learning centre, better archive and storage facilities and improved displays. Of the 4 million items in the collection, only 1.5% are currently on display.
“We are overjoyed that the HLF have given us this opportunity,” said Jon Murden, the director of Dorset County Museum. “For the first time, we will have the space to do justice to our amazing collections, while ensuring they are safely preserved for future generations to enjoy.”
The museum still needs to raise a further £1.6m before work can start. Other funders include Dorset County Council, which has committed £200,000 to the project. London-based Carmody Groarke is the architect.
Dorset County Museum, which was founded in 1845, has collections of geology, archaeology, social history, literature and art.
The £14.9m scheme includes a learning centre, better archive and storage facilities and improved displays. Of the 4 million items in the collection, only 1.5% are currently on display.
“We are overjoyed that the HLF have given us this opportunity,” said Jon Murden, the director of Dorset County Museum. “For the first time, we will have the space to do justice to our amazing collections, while ensuring they are safely preserved for future generations to enjoy.”
The museum still needs to raise a further £1.6m before work can start. Other funders include Dorset County Council, which has committed £200,000 to the project. London-based Carmody Groarke is the architect.
Dorset County Museum, which was founded in 1845, has collections of geology, archaeology, social history, literature and art.