Hartlepool Borough Council has secured a £218,419 grant to create a brand new gallery for temporary exhibitions at the Museum of Hartlepool and for major upgrades to its museum storage facilities.
The funding is part of the £4 million contributed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Wolfson Foundation in 2025-27 to support museums and galleries across England to improve displays, protect collections and make exhibitions more accessible to visitors.
The investment will enable the creation of new secure, climate‑controlled storage areas as well as the installation of high‑specification display cases, modern lighting, new flooring and advanced environmental controls, enabling the museum to host a wider range of high‑quality temporary exhibitions.
Gemma Ptak, Hartlepool Borough Council’s Director of Housing, Communities and Growth, said: “This grant is yet more fantastic news for the Museum of Hartlepool and for local people.
“It will allow us to significantly enhance the quality of our exhibition spaces and enhance the way our collections are cared for, helping us to attract new exhibitions, tell more powerful stories and ensure our heritage is preserved to the highest possible standards.”
This is part of the Council’s wider Tides of Change Project – initial work is under way using a development grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to develop a proposal to reimagine the Museum of Hartlepool and the PS Wingfield Castle as dynamic, inclusive attractions that celebrate the town’s heritage in bold new ways. The full transformation is expected to be completed by 2029.
The grant from the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund follows the recent announcement of a £2,458,641 grant from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Museum Estate and Development Fund to fund a wide range of work to the museum including roof improvements, upgraded windows and insulation, enhanced drainage, new toilet facilities, a cutting-edge heating system, new accessible lifts and fire detection and security system upgrades.