Russell-Cotes museum receives £115,500 grant

Bournemouth’s Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum has been given a large grant of £115,000 for its Reinterpretation and Reconnecting Project.

The investment into the museum was made by the DCMS / Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement fund.

The programme of improvement will conserve and refresh three rooms in the museum which boast some of the UK’s finest Japanese and world heritage collections.

The collections include an array of sculptures, paintings, ethnography, ceramics  and theatrical history.

The rooms that will be redeveloped in the historic house include the Mikado Room as well as the Red and Yellow Rooms.

Beth Steiner, head of fundraising at the Russell-Cotes museum, told Buzz: “The money we have received isn’t enough. It’s never quite enough.

“The DCMS and Wolfson Foundation will only give us 75% of the project total, so we are match-funding that with some of the donation money that we have already.”

Paul Ramsbottom, CEO of the Wolfson Foundation, has said: “This funding will help to provide even better visitor experiences and greater awareness of these fascinating collections.”

The Russell-Cotes building features an art gallery, museum, historic house, café and a gift shop which overlooks the sea.

The site was built by Merton Russell-Cotes as an opulent birthday gift for his wife, and celebrates the couple’s love for travelling, culture and art.

Michael Ellis, Minister for Arts, Heritage & Tourism has said that the government wants people “up and down the country” to enjoy the many cultural and heritage collections that are on offer. He also stated that the 35 grants that have been awarded will “improve visitor experience”.

Our reporter Laura Norman Phipps visited the art gallery and museum earlier today:

 

Words by Ben Coley