Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes Welcomes £168,000 Boost for Peterborough Museum
Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes has warmly welcomed a new £168,000 grant awarded to help improve facilities at Peterborough Museum.
The grant is the latest piece of good news for the museum following a previous grant for a new lift and a record-breaking Doctor Who exhibition.
The funding comes from the joint DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund and is part of a wider £4 million national funding round aimed at supporting regional museums across England to improve accessibility, enhance the care of collections, and make exhibitions more welcoming and engaging for every community.
The grant for Peterborough is specifically targeted at breaking down barriers to participation, prioritising improvements such as step-free access, better signage, and enhanced interpretation facilities to make the museum a truly inclusive space. Funds will also go towards safeguarding the city’s valuable collections, ensuring that more residents, whether they are lifelong cultural enthusiasts or visiting the museum for the first time, can enjoy Peterborough’s rich heritage.
The fund, built on a longstanding partnership between the Department for Culture, Media & Sport and the Wolfson Foundation, has supported over 440 projects with more than £50 million over the past two decades, helping communities across the country deepen their connections to heritage, arts, and learning.
Wednesday 23 April 2025.
Picture by Terry Harris.
Welcoming the news, Andrew Pakes MP said:
“This is yet more good news for Peterborough Museum and our heritage attractions. This investment will support improvements at the museum and ensure better access to the best of our local history, art, and creativity.
This Labour Government is committed to providing fair access to arts and culture, ensuring no one is left behind and local people of all ages and backgrounds can take pride in our shared heritage.”
Cllr Dr Shabina Qayyum, Leader of Peterborough City Council, added:
“I am delighted that the Government has backed Peterborough Museum with over £300,000 over the last year to help with a new lift and to improve facilities at the venue.
The Dr Who exhibition is our most successful exhibit to date and we need to build on this success to bring more visitors into the city.”
The DCMS/Wolfson partnership is a leading model for combining public and private support to unlock opportunities for local people, and this new investment underlines Peterborough’s growing place on the map as a city of learning, creativity, and ambition.
