Bridport Museum awarded funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund
Bridport Museum Trust is delighted to announce that The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded it £121,000 towards an ambitious development project ahead of its centenary in 2032. The funding will help the museum develop a new, sustainable operating model for the future and work with audiences to ensure it remains a relevant cultural and heritage anchor for the town. In addition, the Bridport Area Development Trust has agreed in principle to transfer ownership of the much-loved Grade II* listed Bridport Literary and Scientific Institute (LSI) to the museum, to operate alongside the main museum building on South Street. Heritage Fund support will allow the museum to explore this opportunity to acquire and manage the landmark building. The aim is to increase public access to the LSI while also addressing long-term challenges relating to the museum’s storage facilities and how best to use its collections for the benefit of the community and visitors.
The museum cares for a diverse collection of 50,000 objects. These include a nationally important collection charting the history of rope and net-making in the town, Jurassic Coast fossils from England’s only natural UNESCO World Heritage Site, Roman archaeology from local sites, social history and art. Emma Squire, the chair of the Trust, said: “Our long-established home ‘The Castle’, on South Street, is bursting at the seams. We are therefore delighted to be able to explore an expansion of activities and spaces at the LSI alongside long-term accessible storage options. An additional aim is to create a permanent home for our Local History Centre. This will help give us more scope for community engagement and events”.
Stuart McLeod, Director of England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, we’re proud to support Bridport Museum Trust as it takes this exciting step towards its centenary. This project will help ensure the museum continues to be a vibrant cultural hub for the community, while safeguarding its remarkable collections for future generations. Exploring new ways to engage audiences and expand access to heritage is at the heart of what we do and we’re delighted to support Bridport Museum to do this.”
The Heritage Fund grant will allow Bridport Museum to carry out a detailed feasibility study into taking over the LSI and to engage with the local community in developing a new business plan and operating model. The ambition is to reach a decision on the way forward by late summer 2026. The funding will also allow the museum to develop and implement a digital open access strategy, advance 3D scanning of key objects, upgrade hardware and software within the permanent displays, and build programmes of activity around exciting new acquisitions.