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Sheffield museum celebrates new funding
Published: Wed, 17 Aug 2005 12:02:52
Weston Park Museum is one of forty museums and galleries throughout England to benefit from grants totalling £4 million. Funded jointly by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Wolfson Foundation, the grants will help improve the quality of museums' displays, public spaces, disabled access and environmental controls.
Sheffield Galleries & Museums Trust received £147,985 towards the development of the What on Earth! natural history displays in Weston Park Museum. The museum is due to open in Spring 2006 after a £17.3m redevelopment. The money will be used to improve a number of the new displays and access to the collections including environmental controls, a new observation window, high specification display cases, new handling objects and taxidermy.
Chief Executive of Sheffield Galleries & Museums Trust, Nick Dodd said:
"We are exceptionally pleased to have received this further funding for Weston Park Museum, which will make tremendous difference to our Natural History displays and will support science-based learning for young people. The DCMS/Wolfson Museums & Galleries Improvement Fund is a vital source of money to museums across the country for display improvement."
These grants mark the fourth year of the DCMS/Wolfson Foundation Museums & Galleries Improvement Fund, which has awarded £12 million to 65 different institutions around the country since it was set up in 2002.
Culture Minister David Lammy said:
"I much appreciate the Wolfson Foundation's sustained support for our joint museums and galleries improvement fund. This year, a record number of institutions across the country will be able to benefit from better exhibition spaces and improved access to collections. Our museums are known throughout the world for their excellence, social relevance and educational benefit. They are exciting and vibrant centres to their communities, and draw visitors from all ages and walks of life. These grants will ensure that our museums and galleries continue to broaden their appeal whilst maintaining the highest standards of collection care."
Dr Victoria Harrison, Executive Secretary of the Wolfson Foundation said:
"The Trustees of the Wolfson Foundation were impressed by the range and quality of bids submitted to the Fund this year. We are delighted to continue our partnership with DCMS and to be able to help so many museums and galleries to enhance and renew their facilities and displays."
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