£9 million grant secures future of Ironbridge Gorge Museums in Shropshire
National Trust to take over UNESCO World Heritage Site attracting more than 300,000 visitors each year
Last updated 16th Oct 2025
It's been announced that the future of a Shropshire UNESCO World Heritage Site is set to be secured for future generations following a £9 million government grant announced today.
The funding will allow the National Trust to take over the Ironbridge Gorge Museums in Shropshire - known as the birthplace of the industrial revolution - and secure the long-term future of the site, keeping it open to hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
Securing an industrial heritage landmark
Ironbridge Gorge was one of Britain’s first World Heritage Sites, recognised for its crucial role in the Industrial Revolution.
The site covers 10 museums and 35 listed buildings and monuments, attracting 330,000 visitors annually from the West Midlands, across the UK and beyond.
Popular attractions include Blists Hill Victorian Town, the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron, and the Old Furnace.
The museums serve as an educational resource for schools and families while also supporting local pubs, restaurants, hotels and shops through tourism.
National Trust takes on stewardship
The move to the National Trust will see the museums benefit from the organisation’s experience and large membership base.
The government said the investment is part of its Plan for Change, designed to boost local economies and protect heritage sites.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:
“As the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, it is absolutely vital that the museums in the Ironbridge Gorge are protected as a key heritage asset in this country and a significant contributor to jobs and the economy in the Shropshire area.
The Gorge is rich with the history of ingenious Britons who designed and constructed so many iconic pieces of engineering—from steam engines to iron boats.
I have every confidence that this government support will help the National Trust take this area from strength to strength. It will mean it can be enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of visitors for generations, whilst providing children with opportunities to connect with their local heritage as we embark on our plan of national renewal.”
Heritage leaders welcome the move
Hilary McGrady, Director General of the National Trust, said:
“The Ironbridge Gorge is widely regarded as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, which paved the way for the scientific and technological innovation that defines our world today.
The site is an example of British ingenuity, a source of immense national and community pride and a distinct and much-loved icon of our shared heritage.
I cannot think of something more at home in the National Trust's care—an institution built to protect and preserve the things our nation loves on behalf of everyone, everywhere.”
Mark Pemberton, Chairman of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, added:
“We are incredibly pleased to have secured the long-term future of the Museum by its transfer to the National Trust.
The £9 million investment by DCMS is recognition of the global significance and national importance of Ironbridge.
Ironbridge was important as the birthplace of industry and now as a major tourist destination it plays a part in the success of the local economy.”
Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England, said:
“On behalf of Historic England I am delighted that the National Trust is stepping up, with support from DCMS, to take on Ironbridge, the cradle of the Industrial Revolution with many remarkable survivals from the late eighteenth century onwards.
It is such an important part of this country’s heritage, and contributes significantly to the local and regional economy.”
The announcement follows other government measures to support museums and heritage through the Arts Everywhere Fund, including the £15 million Heritage at Risk Capital Fund and the £20 million Museum Renewal Fund.