Ambitious plans for a multi-million pound transformation of Sunderland's Museum and Winter Gardens have taken a significant step forward as the city council secures vital funding.
Sunderland City Council has been awarded £299,425 of development funding from The National Heritage Lottery Fund to continue its plans and apply for a full National Heritage Lottery grant in 2024.
Proposals, which have been shaped by the views of residents and museum visitors, will see major improvements to the popular visitor attraction, making much more of the museum and the visitor, exhibition and collection spaces.
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Plans include moving the main entrance to the terrace adjacent Mowbray Park, better connecting the museum to the park. The ground floor will be completely transformed with a new central atrium space, new galleries and more family friendly activities and exhibitions.
The redevelopment will also create a new learning and engagement zone to complement the Winter Gardens with imaginative educational and outreach programmes focusing on the museum’s collections, the natural world, biodiversity and climate change.
Councillor Linda Williams, Cabinet member for Vibrant City, said: "We're incredibly excited about our plans to improve one of our city's all-time favourite spaces, and delighted to have been awarded this initial support thanks to National Lottery players, to develop them further.
"This is all about transforming, re-energising and rejuvenating Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens in line with what our residents and visitors have told us they want to see. We want to make sure that the whole museum is a modern, accessible, bright and innovative space that shows off our rich and vibrant stories to everyone near and far.
"A major part of this will involve updating the story of Sunderland - our stories - to make sure they better reflect our communities, who we are, and where we come from.
"We want to improve the Winter Gardens as a place to both learn and relax, using the natural surroundings to inspire and reconnect. And I'm really excited about the plans to create a stronger connection between the museum and Mowbray Park, opening up a whole new way for residents and visitors to experience both spaces.
"We'll also be improving the building as we play our part in becoming carbon neutral as a city as well as making sure our collections continue to be kept safe and become even more accessible to residents and visitors alike.
"As we invest in Sunderland’s cultural assets and work hard to increase the contribution that culture and heritage can make to our communities and our city’s development the Museum & Winter Gardens has an important role to play - enabling activity and learning, sharing stories that, and bringing communities from across the city and beyond together."
Rebecca Ball, chief executive of Sunderland Culture, said: "We are thrilled that Sunderland City Council’s application to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens was successful. This investment will help ensure the museum is able to continue to develop new and innovative ways to both safeguard and share the city’s stories for all our communities.
"Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens is a much-loved part of our city and Sunderland Culture is extremely proud to work in partnership with Sunderland City Council on the delivery of the exhibition, learning and engagement programmes."
The council's plans were shaped by the views of 1,000 people who responded to a Let's Talk Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens consultation earlier this year.
As work progresses, there will be opportunities for individuals and community groups to continue to share ideas and help shape the new look and feel of the museum on an ongoing basis.
Funding sought from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and other sources will be match-funded by the city council via its capital budget.
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