Ambitious plans to redevelop Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens have moved a step closer thanks to a £500,000 grant from the Wolfson Foundation.
The Wolfson Foundation, an independent grant-giving charity with a focus on research and education, has awarded funding to the museum to support its plans for new gallery displays and interpretation helping to enhance understanding of the museum’s scientific and living collections.
The funding will be used to help celebrate and share the collection more widely —especially with young people, families, and schools—encouraging greater participation from all audiences, further strengthening the museum’s ongoing commitment to exploring innovative approaches to environmental responsibility and long-term sustainability.
This latest grant award follows the City Council’s successful bid to secure £5.2m from The National Lottery Heritage Fund towards the redevelopment last September. The project is also being supported by significant investment from the council alongside a package of funding support from Arts Council England – Museums, Estates and Development Fund (MEND) and The Friends of Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens (FOSUMs).
Together, this vital funding will support an estimated £13.6m four-year redevelopment of the museum, plans for which have been shaped by the views of residents and visitors.
The transformation will see exciting changes, including the relocation of the main entrance into Mowbray Park, new exhibition galleries and displays, brand new touch-down and social spaces, as well as improvements to the Winter Gardens, external landscape, and public realm. There will also be the creation of a new community learning facility “The Growing Space” that will complement the community garden adjacent to the Winter Gardens.
Councillor Beth Jones, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism at Sunderland City Council, said: “We’re delighted to have secured £500,000 from the Wolfson Foundation. It’s a fantastic addition to the funding already secured last year from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England and The Friends of Sunderland Museum.
“It’s really exciting now that we’re getting closer to the delivery phase of the museum’s transformation, with key actions now moving forward ahead of the four-year redevelopment due to start later this year.
“Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens has long been a favourite with generations of families across our city, as well as visitors from further afield. And this investment is all about making sure that the building and its historic collections are conserved and protected so it can be enjoyed by future generations.”
Nick Malyan, Chief Executive of Sunderland Culture, said: “The Wolfson Foundation’s generous investment in Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens is testament to the significance of the venue, England’s oldest civic museum outside of London. It is also recognition of the quality of the redevelopment plans and the commitment and vision of the museum team.”