Volunteer-led People’s Museum in Northumberland awarded £4.3 million by The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery in Alnwick Northumberland is absolutely thrilled by the announcement that it has received funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to create a new museum home within the historic Northumberland Hall in the heart of
the town centre.

Thanks to National Lottery players, their project, “Heritage, Creativity & Community” in the heart of Alnwick will help to realise a long-awaited ambition to transform the Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery into a home for the people, stories, and art, of rural and
North Northumberland within a restored and refurbished Grade I listed Georgian building, Northumberland Hall. This new Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery is at the core of wider plans to regenerate Alnwick and strengthen Alnwick’s vibrant town centre
economy.

The vision to transform Northumberland Hall into the museum’s new home includes refurbishment and renovation of the building and the creation of inspirational interpretation of the Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery collections. The reimagined museum and gallery will be a vibrant base for new permanent exhibitions of stories of the town and compelling and exciting temporary exhibitions. Through this the Museum will continue to be beloved of local residents, as well as becoming a fascinating experience for visitors. A volunteer run, operated, and led charity, this funding supports Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery at a critical point in its development. Through the dedication of their volunteers the award-winning museum has grown significantly in reputation, scope
and reach over the last decade. A move to Northumberland Hall will help continue this growth, whilst supporting community ventures, showcase local creatives, provide meeting space for volunteers and local groups, engage new audiences, and grow
visitor numbers.

Northumberland Hall was originally built in 1826 for the third Duke of Northumberland and has been under-used for several years. This project will see the Grade I Listed building revitalised and brought back into productive use. The transformed market hall will be a beating heart at the centre of a bold new vision to regenerate the centre of Alnwick, situating the stories of the people of the town and as well as rural and North Northumberland front and centre. Subject to approval of other funding bids the project is set to get underway in winter 2025 with work to the interior of the building, prior to the main construction project beginning in late Spring 2026.

Jean Humphrys, the Chair at Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery, said “Trustees and volunteers at Bailiffgate are jubilant to have been given such a significant grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to take forward the refurbishment of Northumberland Hall. We are local people, with a passion for Alnwick and Northumberland, its history and its culture and we are delighted to have this unique opportunity to make an exciting contribution to revitalising the town for the community and its visitors. I would like to thank all our partners in the town who have helped us reach this point in the development of this project including the County
Council, Town Council, and all our other supporters”.

Ivor Crowther, Head of Investment, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Investing in heritage means investing in the community it belongs to, which is why we are proud to support the volunteer-led Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery
with their “Heritage, Creativity & Community” project, thanks to National Lottery players. We are delighted that our funding will see the grand Northumberland Hall revamped and transformed into a new home for the museum enabling more heritage stories to be told and creating more opportunities for visitors to discover them. We know heritage has the power to further a sense of pride in place for communities as well as playing a significant role in boosting the local economy and aiding wider regeneration, and this project is sure to do just that.”

Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery are looking for volunteers across a wide range of activities, and there will be events and activities taking place throughout the project, listed on the museum’s social media channels and website https://bailiffgatemuseum.co.uk/