The first funding from Truro Town Deal’s main programme has now been awarded to Royal Cornwall Museum
RCM will receive a £476,000 grant, which will transform the museum’s mineral gallery and will include a state-of-the-art digital lab, enabling people all over Cornwall and the world to interact with the collection.
The investment is the first significant funding award towards the transformation of the museum, and forms part of an ambitious three year investment programme aiming to secure its future and attract more visitors.
Jonathan Morton said: “The mineral gallery houses an internationally recognised collection that’s hugely important in representing Cornwall’s rich history as a global mining centre.
“The digital learning lab will enable us to offer workshops and presentations, streaming content about our mineral collection to people around the world. It will also drive footfall into the museum by providing an interactive offer to our visitors and educational programmes.
“This investment from Truro Town Deal into Royal Cornwall Museum is a crucial part of the overall vision of Truro as an attractive place to live, work and visit.”
The revamped minerals exhibition space, situated on the ground floor of the museum, is expected to be completed by Summer 2024.
Chair of Truro Town Deal Board, Alan Stanhope, said: “This is an important milestone for Truro Town Deal – that funding is now with the project and can start to go to work.
“Royal Cornwall Museum was selected as part of our Town Investment Plan for the role it plays in attracting new visitors and enhancing the breadth of the cultural offer in Truro. I’m looking forward to seeing the digital lab in action and benefiting visitors both locally and across the world.”
Louis Gardner, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for economy, said: “I’m delighted that the Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro has received this much-needed funding from the Town Deal Fund, kick-starting the delivery of the Town Deal Fund projects in Truro. The main aim of the fund is to revitalise the economy of the towns and in Cornwall some of that investment goes towards refurbishing and developing our cultural assets. It will enable, organisations such as the Royal Cornwall Museum to enhance their offer for the local community as well as promote our rich and unique heritage to visitors, supporting a thriving cultural and heritage sector and the wider economy of the City.”