A New Redbridge Museum
Lottery grant set to transform Redbridge Museum
Redbridge Museum is set for a major transformation thanks to a grant worth £99,990 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund awarded in May 2019.
Thanks to National Lottery players, the award will enable the museum based in Redbridge Central Library to revamp its much-loved permanent exhibition dedicated to celebrating local history.
From Ice Age Ilford to suburban Wanstead and Woodford, from historical links with the wider world to the cultural diversity of today's communities, the new showpiece displays will reveal 200,000 years of Redbridge history.
Under the proposed new offering, visitors will be able to access a greater range of historic objects as well as even more family-friendly interactive displays.
It will also provide a pathway for visitors to take their interest in local history further and explore the archives of the adjacent Redbridge Heritage Centre.
The grant, which was won by Vision Redbridge Culture & Leisure, which manages the Museum for the Council, is in conjunction with a further £60,000 from other sources to support the project.
The project will involve the local community every step of the way, including consultation and co-curation, and will be the platform for creating an accessible and imaginative permanent museum exhibition which is strongly rooted in its diverse local community.
Public consultation on what should be in the new museum began in summer 2019 with design work ongoing during 2020-21 despite the challenges around the coronavirus. The current museum is closed and is scheduled to reopen in early 2024.
The Leader of Redbridge Council, Councillor Jas Athwal, said:
"I'm delighted that Vision has secured this funding and support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. These plans will ensure Redbridge Museum continues to be a source of civic pride for local residents, an educational resource for local schools, a space for informal learning by a wide range of community groups and a place of wonder and enjoyment for local families and visitors. I look forward to seeing the developments."
Stuart Hobley, Area Director for London & South from The National Lottery Heritage Fund said:
"We're delighted to support Redbridge Museum to work with local people to research and better celebrate the area's heritage. Thanks to National Lottery players, new permanent displays will explore everything from Ice Age Ilford, to Redbridge's links to the East India Company, to more recent stories of its diverse local community."
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest dedicated funder of heritage in the UK and distributes National Lottery grants from £3,000 to £5 million and over, funding projects that sustain and transform the UK's heritage.
