Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery is set to benefit from £365K of Government funding to help replace its aging roof and safeguard the museum’s 148 year old extensive collection.
One of the first purpose-built free museums to be built outside of London in 1874, the funding will allow for a completely new roof to help preserve the museum’s rich collection of fine art, manuscripts, natural and social history and decorative art.
Awarded through the Government’s Museums Estate and Development Fund, Blackburn Museum is one of 60 cultural venues to benefit from the funding delivered by Arts Council England, which aims to safeguard cultural assets and power economic growth through culture.
Cllr Damian Talbot, Executive Member for Public Health and Wellbeing for Blackburn with Darwen, said:
This is a really important development for Blackburn Museum and one that will help to protect this special building for many generations to come.
I’m grateful to Arts Council England for the commitment they have shown to protecting our museum and its world renown collections.
The funding will allow for a complete new roof to safeguard the museum’s environment not only for visitors and outreach workshops but to preserve delicate and historic artefacts and exhibits.
This building is well loved by many and we are delighted that its fascinating and enthralling collection will continue to delight and educate.
The new roof will be assembled in phases to minimise disruption within the museum, with hopes that the installation will be in place for the museum’s 150th anniversary in 2024.
Arts Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said:
Culture is the bedrock of society. It brings people together, entertains and informs us, and helps us to understand our common past and shared future.
Today we are announcing a raft of new funding for treasured cultural institutions up and down the country.
This will help them to continue their great work, advance our work to level up access to arts and culture so they can be enjoyed by people no matter where they live, and protect these cherished institutions for future generations to enjoy.
Darren Henley, Chief Executive Officer, Arts Council England, added:
Our artists, arts organisations, museums and libraries are experts in making villages, towns and cities better places to live, work, visit or play.
This investment means they’ll be able to help more people across England to lead happier, more creative lives.
