Museum of Bath at Work awarded grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund

The Museum of Bath at Work has been awarded a grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to work with the local community and develop the museum. 

Today, the Museum of Bath at Work is announcing a £241,918 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to work with the local community on ‘Museum Making’ - creating new displays, projects and exhibitions telling the stories of Bath’s working people, their trades and jobs, and their working lives.  This three-year project will secure a long-term future for the Museum and enable us to share the story of ‘What Bath Makes and What Makes Bath.' 

The Museum of Bath at Work is unique amongst Bath’s museums and heritage attractions for its focus on the trades and businesses that made Bath – a small provincial city in the 18th century that became a destination for health and tourism, and an industrial and working city in the 19th and 20th centuries.  The Museum building is a great example of ‘Bath at work’, starting as a Real Tennis Court, then used for all sorts of entertainments and shows, and in the later 19th century becoming a brewery and then a factory.

Image: Museum of Bath at Work

They are an independent museum run by a charity, Bath Industrial Heritage Trust, with just one employee and a big team of volunteers. The funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund will enable the museum to appoint an additional full-time post and two part-time posts for three years. This will massively increase the museum's capacity to work with local residents and community groups to develop ideas for projects and displays, and to use the Museum’s huge collections to create new ways of telling stories about Bath life in the past. Residents, local groups and schools will be able to take part over the next three years through projects, events and training opportunities, allowing even more people to enjoy and play a part in Bath’s heritage.

The Museum is energised by this grant, and is excited to step-up access and participation, increase visitor numbers, and secure its future. In the long-term, the project will develop the skills of the Museum’s volunteers and attract new volunteers, strengthen its network of groups and organisations, and raise public awareness of the importance of looking after Bath's local heritage.

Keep checking the Museum of Bath at Work's website and social media channels for more updates and to see how you can get involved with ‘Museum Making.' 

Website: https://bath-at-work.org.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BathAtWork/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/museum_of_bath_at_work/

Twitter: @BathAtWork

Dr Trevor Turpin, Chair of Bath Industrial Heritage Trust said: "We are delighted to have received this generous support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players we can look forward to three years of new projects, displays and exhibitions.  It’s an exciting time and we look forward to working with our community on ‘Museum Making'" 

Stuart Burroughs, Director of the Museum said: "Additional staff roles at the Museum, funded by the grant, will make a huge difference to our ability to work with everyone in the local community.  This grant is amazing news!"