Major redevelopment plans at Salisbury Museum will "tell a new story of the city"
They've submitted an application for funding
The Director of Salisbury Museum has said that their plans for a major redevelopment will get more local people involved and "tell a new story of the city".
Adrian Green has been talking about their ideas as they have submitted an application for funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
They have applied for ÂŁ3.2 million, the whole project will cost ÂŁ4.4 million, so if successful they have will have to raise ÂŁ1.2 million in two years.
WHAT WOULD THE MONEY BE SPENT ON?
The museum have outlined a number of plans to which will make "important upgrades" to the building.
These include:
- Restoring, renewing and repurposing the building
- Creating a new Salisbury Gallery telling the city’s story from 1220 to 2020
- Re-displaying the collection of ceramics within the context of the historic 17th century core of the building
- Making the collections and building more accessible
- Building the audiences, diversifying the income streams, and thereby ensuring the business model is self-sustaining
- Providing the necessary facilities (toilets, lift etc)
The current Salisbury gallery at the museum cuts off in the late 19th century, this new project will see all areas covered up until the present day.
With the building being situated in the Cathedral Close, towered over by the city's historical landmark, Adrian says they are a tourist hotspot.
However they don't necessarily see lots of local people, which he hopes the redevelopment will change:
"Where we are located we're slightly tucked away and sometimes we're overlooked, particularly by local people, we're part of tourism zone in Salisbury you might call it. We really want to re-establish the relationship with the people on our doorstep, one of the great things about this project is we will be telling a new story about Salisbury's history from the pivotal moment when it moved from Old Sarum 800 years ago all the way up to today, that is everybody's story and particularly when we get into the present day. So we want to get local people helping us tell that story, co-curating it and producing it, getting their views and opinions on what we should be telling."
WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS
The museum will find out in September whether they have been successful with their bid for funding.
If they have been, they will then work to get the ÂŁ1.2 million extra that they need by going through trusts and just any donations given by the public.
If it all goes to plan works can begin at the start of next year, with building work starting towards the end of 2022.
By 2024 it should be all completed.
Anyone interested in supporting Salisbury Museum in their project can do so by visiting their website.