Plans to transform Carlisle’s Tullie House have been boosted by a £500,000 grant.
The museum has been awarded the cash from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and bosses hope it will help transform the venue into a thriving hub over the next 10 to 15 years.
The funding will allow the museum to develop its plans to apply for a £4 million grant next year.
In total, Tullie House Trust have identified £35 million of potential capital redevelopments and investment opportunities as part of Project Tullie.
Andrew Mackay, director of Tullie House Trust, said: “This is fantastic news for Carlisle.
Project Tullie will transform Tullie House Museum and we are extremely grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players for supporting this ambitious and exciting project.
“The funding will allow the museum to show more of its collections, engage with more people and inspire people to visit Carlisle.”
Tullie House was established in 1893 as a museum, public library, and school of art for the people of Carlisle.
The buildings have undergone many changes over the decades and the museum and collections are now managed by Tullie House Trust, an independent charity which last year celebrated its 10th anniversary as a charitable trust.
This ambitious project aims to reveal hidden Victorian architecture and create multi-use spaces.
It is hoped that parts of the historic building, currently used for collections storage and office space, can be brought back into public use with more collections on display to reveal the stories of the people, places and events that have shaped this historic border city.
Vega Brennan, chair of Tullie House community board, said: “This is hugely exciting news. As chair of the community board we are delighted to be part of the plans to develop and refine the development through a programme of research, consultation and testing with local communities and groups.”
To date, Tullie House Trust has raised £3.4 million towards Project Tullie.
