There’s great news from Lyme Regis Museum this week, with the announcement that it has received initial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the Mary Anning Wing Initiative. The project aims to make Lyme’s unique history and palaeontology more accessible to audiences of all ages and abilities. The Mary Anning Wing Initiative will provide the museum with a new geology gallery, a learning space and an enlarged shop, as well as the public toilets and lift the building currently lacks. The museum aims to start construction of the Mary Anning Wing in the Autumn of 2016, for completion in Spring 2017.
This “First Round Pass” means the Heritage Lottery Fund believes the project has potential to deliver high-quality benefits and value for Lottery money. The initial funding announced this week will help the Museum progress their plans to apply for a full grant at a later date.
Lyme Regis Museum was built in 1902 and stands on the site of Mary Anning’s home. It currently receives 25,000 visitors a year and is famous for its Fossil Walks, which have featured on television on several occasions. Museum Director David Tucker said “We’re over the moon at having won the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund. Lyme Regis Museum has gone from strength to strength over the last twenty five years, and it’s great to know that we are a step nearer to ensuring the museum is thriving in 2102”.