£2m to fix York museum's leaky roof welcomed by mayor
The funding is part of £5 million in total for the region
York and North Yorkshire’s mayor has welcomed a £2 million grant which will help fix a York museum’s leaky roof.
David Skaith said the funding, which is part of £5 million in total for the region, would make sure more people could enjoy some of North Yorkshire’s best theatres and museums.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said it came as part of Government efforts to ensure the arts are not just a luxury for a privileged few.
Arts Council England Chair Nicolas Serota said the vital investment in arts and culture venues followed significant financial pressure in recent years.
The £5 million for the Yorkshire Museum, Scarborough Theatres Trust and Ryedale Folk Museum in North Yorkshire come as part of the Government’s Arts Everywhere Fund.
They are among 130 venues nationally chosen for a share of £127.8 million for the first round of projects being supported by the fund.
The Yorkshire Museum’s £2 million share comes are its operators warned in 2024 leaks from its roof had put its future in the Grade I-listed building at risk.
The venue, in Museum Gardens, first opened in 1830 and is one of the oldest purpose-built museums in the country.
Plans lodged that year stated the museum could be forced to move out of the building if its roof is not fixed.
Water has gotten into cabinets housing Roman objects and a pool was seen gathering on top of one containing Ice Age artefacts.
Plans also stated leaks had gotten so severe that it was stopping the museum loaning out items from its collection and repairing leaks was taking up ever more resources.
Museum Senior Curator Dr Andrew Woods warned at the time unique objects in its collection could be damaged beyond repair if the leaks continue.
Dr Woods added the venue could lose an estimated £500,000-a-year in revenue due to its inability to invest as a result of the damage, putting its financial viability at risk.
A spokesperson for the York Museums Trust (YMT), which runs the venue, said the funding would allow it complete the first phase of repairs over the next two years.
The total cost of works is forecast to be around £5 million.
YMT Chief Executive Kathryn Blacker said the funding would help address some essential building works and support longer-term ambitions to improve the experience for visitors.
The museum and the Scarborough Theatres Trust are both set to receive the largest amounts of individual funding of any venue or organisation in Yorkshire.
Labour mayor Mr Skaith said the funding showed the Government recognised how important it was for people to access the arts.
The mayor said: “Millions of people flock to York and North Yorkshire every year to enjoy our ancient cities, stunning seaside towns, gorgeous countryside, and charming market towns.
“Visitors and residents alike have access to some of the best cultural venues in the country, like Scarborough Theatre, Yorkshire Museum, and the Ryedale Folk Museum.
“This funding is going to strengthen their offer and make sure more people can enjoy some of our best theatres and museums.”