Work to clean, store and protect collections at Ipswich Museum is progressing well as part of the first stage of refurbishment works.
The team, who are about halfway through item conservation, gave an update on their progress to the Ipswich Museum working group on Wednesday 1 February.
Staff at the museum have been working since the museum closed in October to ensure all collections are carefully cleaned and packed away before works to redevelop the museum can start in the summer.
The Grade II* listed building holds over 200,000 individual items as part of Ipswich Borough Council collections, with many of outstanding international significance.
Councillor Carole Jones, Ipswich Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Planning and Museums, says:
“It’s amazing to see all the fantastic work the museum team are doing.
The museum has so many precious and unique items which require specialist storage and protection before we can start work to carefully restore the building, so emptying the Museum is a complex and challenging process. It’s so important that delicate exhibits are carefully managed and protected.
I’d like to thank the hard-working team at the museum for all they are doing to protect the valuable contents of Ipswich Museum.”
The redevelopment to Ipswich Museum is being funded thanks to a collaboration between Ipswich Borough Council, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Friends of Ipswich Museum and various other Trusts and Foundations with an interest in local heritage and museum services. Funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund has been made possible thanks to National Lottery players.
Project costs are in the region of £8.7m, with Ipswich Museum set to re-open in 2025.
Photo credit: Ipswich Borough Council (L-R Alison Hall, Ipswich Museums Manager and Councillor Carole Jones, Ipswich Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Planning and Museums)
