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Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens

New visuals released for Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens redevelopment

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Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens is set for an estimated £13.6m four-year redevelopment which has been shaped by residents and visitors. With funding coming from Sunderland City Council, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Wolfson Foundation and Friends of Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, the Museum is set for some exciting changes to the much-loved building and updates to it’s exhibitions and social spaces.

Among the plans is a relocation of the Museum’s main entrance to the award-winning Mowbray Park, new exhibition galleries and displays, a new community learning facility and improvements to the Winter Gardens, external landscape and accessible spaces for the public. Explore the latest update released by Sunderland City Council to find out what you can expect from this landmark redevelopment project.

Ground Floor Gallery Spaces

A drawing of a bright entrance area with a grey floor and large glass doors. A white car sits on an orange stand to the left of the doors. Several dark shapes of people and children walk through the space. Green plants and trees are visible through the windows in the background.

Entrance Area

The new Museum entrance will overlook Mowbray Park with a ‘shop window’ exhibit featuring the famous Nissan Bluebird. Entering through here will bring you right into the centre of the Museum with immediate displays from the collection.

A large indoor room has a staircase and many colourful signs on a wall. In the middle, a wooden table holds colourful boxes and a small white model car. Several white figures stand around the space. A green wall to the back has a tree mural on it.

Stair Atrium

The centre of the Museum will be a hub for exploration. With a playful layout, here you’ll find out everything you need to know to enjoy your visit from way-finding to what’s on.

A bright indoor room shows a large display case with a model lion inside under a sign that says

Window on Wearside

A new themed exhibition gallery bringing together collections and stories from local community groups. This will be a fun space for exploration with theatrical elements, digital displays, and new interactives.

A museum room has wooden floors and many glass cases. On the left, a large glass case holds models of long ships. Dark shapes of a tall person and a small child look at the ships. In the background, a tall, old diving suit stands in its own case. Black signs with white writing stand on the floor. On the right, another case shows a stone cross and some maps. Grey walls in the back have large maps and pictures on them.

Sunderland Story

Focussed on industry in Sunderland, dynamic displays in this exhibition space will be filled with the huge number of artefacts the Museum holds on our city’s mining, glassmaking and shipbuilding heritage.

The Growing Space

A new green space for programmed events, activities and learning will be created. The Growing Space will have a beautiful canopy light feature playfully reflecting the living collections of the Winter Gardens on the other side of the building.

A bright indoor room with white floors and large glass windows. A big wooden tree with glowing green leaves is seen to the left. Round dark tables with yellow and green chairs are in the centre of the room. On the right, tall wooden shelves hold boxes and small green plants. A wall on the left has the words
A floorplan drawing of a room shaped almost like a lightbulb. In the centre, six round grey tables sit around a large green star shape. Another green leafy shape is sat in a small circular area to the top of the room. Each table has many colourful chairs. The wall on the left is curved and has a long wooden bench.
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