Ipswich Borough Council has announced that Colchester + Ipswich Museums (CIMS) are to benefit from an award of £126,200 from the newly launched Museum Renewal Fund, funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and administered by Arts Council England.
This fund specifically supports museums owned and directly maintained by local authorities, recognising the financial pressures councils are currently facing.
For Ipswich, this means a significant boost to the town’s heritage offer, particularly at Christchurch Mansion, one of the Borough Council’s most treasured heritage assets. The grant will help safeguard the vital community engagement and cultural impact that public access to museums provides for residents and visitors to the town.
Due to unprecedented financial constraints, the Council was compelled to reduce Christchurch Mansion’s opening hours to four days a week in April 2025. Thanks to this new funding, the Mansion will soon reopen to visitors five days a week, ensuring greater public access to its free exhibitions and collections.
Further support has been pledged by the Friends of the Ipswich Museums, who will contribute £20,000 in 2026, helping to secure the Mansion’s future.
Richard Wilson, Chairman of the Friends of the Ipswich Museums, said:
“We are delighted to support the reopening of Christchurch Mansion to visitors on Thursdays of each week once again. This is a vital step in ensuring that Ipswich’s rich history and cultural heritage remains accessible to all. The Friends are proud to play a part in supporting and promoting this much-loved museum and its important exhibits and collections.”
Councillor Carole Jones, Ipswich borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Planning and Museums, said:
“I am very pleased that we are able to open Christchurch Mansion for five days a week from 30 October - thanks to the generous support of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Museum Renewal Fund, administered by Arts Council England, and the continued commitment of the Friends of the Ipswich Museums.
“Starting during the busy autumn half-term school holidays, it reinforces our dedication to keeping this beautiful, historic house freely accessible to all. With the upcoming 250th anniversary celebrations of John Constable, we look forward to welcoming even more visitors through the doors each week to experience the rich heritage, many events and exceptional exhibitions the Mansion has to offer.”
CIMS is preparing for a landmark year in 2026, the 250th anniversary of the birth of Suffolk-born artist John Constable, with Christchurch Mansion hosting a series of once-in-a-lifetime exhibitions. These will feature internationally renowned Constable paintings and loans from prestigious institutions including the National Gallery, Tate, V&A, Royal Academy, and National Galleries of Scotland.
This announcement comes as major redevelopment work continues at Ipswich Museum and Colchester’s Natural History Museum, both supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Since 2022, CIMS has secured approximately £13 million in capital funding from major partners including Arts Council England, Colchester City Council, Ipswich Borough Council, the Wolfson Foundation, Clore Duffield, and the Garfield Weston Foundation.
CIMS’ six museums attract around 200,000 visitors annually, contributing an estimated £6 million to the local economies of Ipswich and Colchester.
About Colchester + Ipswich Museums (CIMS)
CIMS is a partnership between Ipswich Borough Council and Colchester City Council, formed in 2007 to deliver dynamic joint museum services across Suffolk and Essex. It is the largest museum service in the region, managing:
- In Ipswich: Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich Art Gallery, and Ipswich Museum
- In Colchester: Colchester Castle, Hollytrees Museum, and the Natural History Museum
CIMS aims to foster communities where museums enrich lives, spark imagination, and deepen understanding.
Learn more at: www.cimuseums.org.uk