£349,000 to fund urgent roof and stonework repairs on historic Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens building

The Grade II-listed building, which was the first publicly funded museum outside London and dates back to 1879, is in urgent need of repairs to its roof and stonework.

Sunderland City Council said funding from the Arts Council England Cultural Investment Fund – MEND (Museum Estates and Investment Fund) will allow urgent repairs to be carried out on the oldest part of the parts of the building, addressing ‘water ingress issues’.

The council is planning to match fund the Arts Council funding with £116,000 from its own funds to bring the total investment in the repairs to £465,000.

A costed condition survey on the Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens prepared in March 2022 highlighted areas of significant deterioration in the roof, stonework, leadwork and drainage to the original 1879 part of the museum.

The council said as this is the most historically and architecturally significant part of the building it is seen as a priority for investment in advance of the larger lottery funded refurbishment plans.

Councillor Linda Williams, Cabinet Member for Vibrant City at Sunderland City Council, said: We're delighted to have secured this vital funding to carry out urgent roof and stonework repairs on the Museum and Winter Gardens.

"This is all about ensuring the long term preservation of one of our most loved listed buildings for future generations to enjoy, retaining and enhancing its historic significance as a landmark building within the city.

"It also fits perfectly with our exciting plans for the multi-million pound transformation of Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens which would see the museum re-energised and rejuvenated in line with what our residents and visitors have told us they want to see.”

She added: "We're currently working up detailed proposals on these having received initial support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund just before Christmas with the intention of applying for full grant funding next year."

Rebecca Ball, chief executive of Sunderland Culture, which delivers the creative programme in Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, said: "We are delighted that Sunderland City Council has been awarded this grant to carry out much needed repairs on such an important and cherished part of the city’s cultural offer.”

She added: "This fund from Arts Council England, together with their investment into Sunderland Culture, and the council’s plans for a multi-million pound transformation of the building, means the museum will continue to delight and inspire residents and visitors to Sunderland in the future."

Work on the urgent repairs is due to start on site by September and be completed early next year.