The government is granting £1.46 million to Brighton Museum and Art Gallery for roof repairs to its grade II* listed building.
The Georgian building is part of the Royal Pavilion Estate and dates from 1804 when it becamse one of Britain’s first purpose-built museums.
It holds two designated collections, the “World Arts and Anthropology” collection and “Decorative Arts” as well as other collections of fine art, ceramics and furniture.
The grant is from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and will come through Arts Council England to the Royal Pavilion and Museums Trust.
The award is one of more than 60 grants to galleries, museums, libraries and cultural venues from the government’s Cultural Investment Fund (CIF).
It follows a survey in 2019 when the roof of the museum was found to need urgent repairs to the Georgian glass lantern above the central main gallery.
Many of the structural elements of the lantern are in urgent need of replacement and reglazing, essential to ensure the safety of the galleries, exhibits, staff and visitors beneath.
The grant will enable the work to be carried out as a matter of urgency and repairs are expected to take about four months, starting in the autumn.
Royal Pavilion and Museums Trust chief executive Hedley Swain said: “We are so grateful to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Arts Council England for this important award from the Cultural Investment Fund.
“It will allow us to make urgent and timely repairs to the roof of Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, allowing us to stay open and plan with confidence for the future.
“Additional funding will be provided by Brighton and Hove City Council to whom we are also deeply grateful.
“Brighton Museum is an important historic building, part of the Royal Pavilion estate. It’s so important that buildings like this are maintained for the benefit of current and future generations.”
Arts Minister Lord Parkinson, said: “Culture is the bedrock of society. It brings people together, entertains and informs us, and helps us to understand our common past and shared future.
“Today we are announcing a raft of new funding for treasured cultural institutions up and down the country.
“This will help them to continue their great work, advance our work to level up access to arts and culture so they can be enjoyed by people no matter where they live and protect these cherished institutions for future generations to enjoy.”
Arts Council England chief executive Darren Henley said: “Our artists, arts organisations, museums and libraries are experts in making villages, towns and cities better places to live, work, visit or play.
“This investment means they’ll be able to help more people across England to lead happier, more creative lives”.
The grant comes from the Cultural Investment Fund’s “Museum Estate and Development Fund” strand to help fund museum and council infrastructure projects and urgent maintenance works beyond their day-to-day budgets.
