Thousands of people across the East of England to benefit from £2.2 million to keep local museums open and thriving
- £2.2 million investment in civic museums across the East of England to protect opening hours and jobs, as part of the government’s ongoing commitment to ensure museums can continue to tell our national story at a local level
- Colchester City Council, Norfolk Museums Service and The Culture Trust, Luton are among ten museum organisations across the East of England set to receive grants to help keep cherished civic museums open and engaging
- The Museum Renewal Fund delivers on the government’s Plan for Change commitment to ensure communities can access culture locally
Thousands of people across the East of England will be able to continue to celebrate their local heritage thanks to the government's £20 million Museum Renewal Fund.
The funding will benefit civic museums across the East of England, including Colchester City Council, Norfolk Museums Service and The Culture Trust, Luton, which will share £2.2 million between them. It will improve public access to collections, protect community and educational programmes, and help to ensure treasured local and regional museums are fit for the future.
The fund strengthens our nationwide network of museums, ensuring that local communities have access to culture for generations to come whilst being able to take pride in how their towns and villages have played a role in our national story. It will protect opening hours and job opportunities for thousands of visitors and local communities, whilst strengthening museums’ ability to attract tourists and employers to regions across the country.
The Museum Renewal Fund is part of the £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund, announced by the Culture Secretary in February 2025 as part of the Government’s Plan for Change to support economic growth and increase opportunities nationwide. In total, £20 million will be shared between 75 civic museums across England to help ensure our cherished local and regional museums can be enjoyed for many years to come.
Museums Minister, Baroness Twycross said:
"Museums offer a place where people from all backgrounds can learn, be inspired and delve into our rich history, helping to understand the stories that led us to where we are today.
“The Museum Renewal Fund is contributing to the delivery of our Plan for Change. It ensures much-loved civic museums across the East of England can remain open and continue to provide opportunities for future generations to learn about our shared heritage and how their local community has played its part in our national story.”
Examples of funded projects in the East of England include:
- Colchester City Council (Colchester and Ipswich Museums) will benefit from £126,200 to support its six sites, home to the largest Norman castle keep in Europe. The funding will protect opening hours at Christchurch Mansion, to ensure it can be accessible for visitors for longer, as well as improving learning opportunities available. The funding will also enhance revenue generation at Christchurch Mansion, offering more services to the wider community to enjoy as a result. The funding will also support the future of Hollytrees Museum, a Georgian townhouse museum in Colchester housing social history collections.
- Norfolk Museums Service has been awarded £360,000 to help the museums grow its membership scheme and audience research, to improve access and revenue generation across ten sites spread out across Norfolk, benefiting communities across the county from Cromer and Thetford, to Great Yarmouth. The funding comes off the back of the museum’s triumphant reopening of its Lottery-funded Norwich Castle refurbishment, which includes a Partnership Gallery with the British Museum.
- The Culture Trust Luton will benefit from £530,528 in funding for museum services in Luton. The investment will keep Luton’s museums open and create content for and with communities. The funding will maintain staffing levels and education and community programming, enabling the Trust to expand its outreach efforts and improve public access to collections, benefiting Luton’s diverse communities, learners, and volunteers.
Hazel Edwards, South East Area Director at Arts Council England, said:
“The Museum Renewal Fund is a vital lifeline for museums across the East of England. From historic dockyards to local cultural hubs, these institutions play a crucial role in connecting communities with their past and inspiring future generations. We are pleased to stand alongside these museums as they navigate today’s challenges and build towards a more sustainable future.”
Full list of recipients receiving a share of the fund in the East of England:
East of England:
- Luton Cultural Services Trust - £530,528
- Norfolk Museums Service - £360,000
- Chelmsford City Council - £236,297
- Ware Museum CIO - £58,337
- Southend Museum Service - £39,794
- The Cromwell Museum - £240,300
- Peterborough City Council - £168,000
- Colchester City Council - £126,200
- The Food Museum Ltd - £351,112
- St Albans Museum - £85,000
