Three new galleries could be added to Leicester Museum and Art Gallery according to new plans. Two of the three additions would form part of Leicester City Council’s Story of Leicester project, which would “complement” the heritage panels set up at locations of interest across the city.
The galleries would “provide a starting point for visitors to learn about 2,000 years of Leicester’s history” and would direct them to other city attractions where they can learn more, a council spokesman said. The precise contents of these is still to be decided, however, and residents will be called on to “help shape” them.
The third new exhibit at the New Walk attraction would be a “major new environment gallery”, the council said. This would cover themes including natural history and climate change, and would see the return of some of the animals which have been in storage since the old Wild Space gallery closed last year.
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New teaching spaces are also proposed under the early plans. The announcement comes following a successful bid for funding by Leicester City Council.
It has been awarded £411,111 by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to draw up proposals for the redevelopment. Once these are submitted, they will be considered by the Heritage Fund, which will then decide whether to give the council the money it needs to carry out the refurbishment. Full funding would be more than £5 million if the authority is successful, the council said.
The project would form phase five of the redevelopment of the museum. Work started this week on the fourth phase, which will see a new suite of art galleries, a new shop and a brand new café created.
The council earmarked £3.62 million for phase four, leading some on the council to brand this a “waste of taxpayers’ cash” at a time when the council is in financial difficulty. Opposition councillors added they considered the scheme to be a “ill-conceived vanity project”.
However, city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby hit back, saying: “It’s a stunning museum, and it really is an absolute gem. Nobody has, in decades, ever objected to us continuing to invest in it.”
The new café space will be located at the front of the building so it can be used by “not just those who are going to use the museum, but also those who are passing up and down New Walk”.
Speaking on the initial phase five funding, Assistant city mayor for culture Vi Dempster said: “Leicester Museum has been welcoming people for more than 175 years, but the old building has needed ongoing investment to bring it up to the standards of a modern visitor attraction. Over the past 10 years we’ve been upgrading the infrastructure of the building, installing new lifts and ramps, for example, to improve access to all areas of the museum – and this week, we’ve started work on a major scheme that will create a new suite of art galleries, a new shop and a brand new café.
“But this initial funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the icing on the cake. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have the opportunity to complete the refurbishment of Leicester Museum with a project that would include two new galleries that would delve into the city’s 2,000-year history, and an important new gallery that would focus on key environmental themes, including climate change.
“We’ve called this our Voices of Leicester project because listening to what people want to see and do at Leicester Museum is so important, if the museum is to continue to be relevant to visitors from all of Leicester’s communities. We’re extremely grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, whose support will help us ensure that every gallery and every space at Leicester Museum offers visitors an exceptional experience, allowing us to reach even more people within Leicester and beyond.”
Robyn Llewellyn, area director for the Midlands and East England at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “We are pleased to support Leicester City Council with their ambitious plans for Leicester Museum and Art Gallery’s redevelopment. Thanks to National Lottery players this project will create new opportunities to engage Leicester’s communities with heritage and spark discussion, learning and enjoyment.”