Torquay Museum Receives Culture Recovery Grant

By: Barry Chandler
Added: 20 October 2020

Torquay Museum is one of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support from the Government. It has been awarded £120,000 as part of the Culture Recovery Fund to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure it has a sustainable future.

“Like many other museums we have endured financial hardship during this very difficult year,” explains Basil Greenwood, Torquay Museum’s Director. “We have done remarkably well in attracting back visitors since we re-opened to the public in July, but we are very heavily reliant upon income from visitors in order to keep the doors open and care for our amazing collections. That income has fallen significantly, making the Museum’s position very precarious.”

 “This vital grant from the Culture Recovery Fund will help us to not only keep the doors open, but allow us to deliver some great new exhibitions and further strengthen our links with the local community, including new education outreach sessions.”

 This year Torquay Museum celebrates 175 years since its foundation. As the oldest museum in Devon, with extraordinary and internationally important objects in its care, there is plenty to celebrate. The Museum is home to around 330,000 amazing artefacts, with fascinating galleries exploring the history of Torbay and some of its most famous inhabitants.

 “Torquay Museum is the cultural heart of Torbay and is a vital part of the local community,” said Basil Greenwood. “It’s enjoyed by thousands of school children each year, who find its collections an invaluable aid to learning. The Museum is visited by a diverse array of local people and holidaymakers, who enjoy its fascinating, interactive galleries and wide variety of temporary exhibitions and events. It has a vibrant and friendly Museum Society, which organises around 40 talks per year on a bewildering variety of subjects. The Museum is also a vital resource for vulnerable and disabled groups, who benefit from an accessible and wheelchair friendly environment.”