A mock up of the proposed new development. © People's History Museum
The People’s History Museum in Manchester will double in size thanks to an award of more than £7million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), announced on January 16, 2008.
The HLF has now agreed to a stage 2 pass for the project, providing a grant of £7.18m, which has been matched funded by a £2m grant from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).
The multi-million pound redevelopment will consolidate the museum’s current two sites into one - a refurbished Pump House with a spectacular new extension, providing improved visitor facilities and increased access to the museum’s collections.
Better interactives and interpretation will be installed, plus a larger changing exhibition gallery, enhanced education facilities, a new shop and riverside café.
“The People's History Museum's new galleries will uniquely present the story of the growth of democracy in Britain, in which the city of Manchester played such a crucial part,” said Dr Tristram Hunt, HLF trustee and historian. “The trustees were pleased to make a Stage 2 award to the One Site Project, which will not only upgrade this important national museum but also contribute to the democratic health of the nation”.
The museum closed to the public at the beginning of October 2007, and construction work began this month. The new People’s History Museum is due to open in late 2009.
“This is an exciting time for the museum as work started on site in January,” said John Monks, Chair of Trustees at the museum. “We are grateful to both HLF and NWDA for their support towards our multi-million pound project.”
