Project Snapshot

Project title:

Monkwearmouth Station Museum

Programme: Heritage Grants
Applicant: Monkwearmouth Station Museum
Grant awarded: £497,000

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has awarded a grant of £497,000 towards the restoration and development of Monkwearmouth Station Museum in Sunderland. The project will also be funded by contributions from Sunderland City Council, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the DCMS/Wolfson Foundation Museums & Galleries Improvement Fund, The Friends of Sunderland Museums (FOSUMS) and Tyne & Wear Museums Business Partners Fund. The total investment is over £900,000.

It is an intrinsic part of the industrial and transport heritage in the area and houses a fascinating collection of railway and transport artefacts from rolling stock to bicycles, temporary exhibitions and an original 1866 railway station booking office.

The museum is housed in the original station building that was commissioned by the famous railway entrepreneur George Hudson and designed by Thomas Moore, who influenced a significant amount of Victorian design in Sunderland. This HLF grant will ensure that essential external repairs can be made to the museum plus the restoration and modernisation of the interior.

Seven new galleries will be developed in the museum, opening up access to local people and visitors. The new gallery areas will have interactive displays to encourage visitor involvement in the exhibitions, making learning about the history of travel and transport in Tyne and Wear fun and exciting, as well as educational.

Sector

Buildings and Monuments

Activity

Conservation; Participation; Learning