Cabinet considers major developments for County Museum

The museum is set to see a new-build Transport Gallery and refurbishment of the existing buildings, if the release is renewed at its current site in Wychavon.

The Joint Museum Committees preferred option, which has been recommended to the County Council Cabinet, is remaining at a redeveloped Worcestershire County Museum at Hartlebury Castle.

This allows the Museum to continue as a popular visitor destination in the county and allows for the continued development of learning and health programmes to meet the needs of Worcestershire residents.

Councillor Marcus Hart, Cabinet Member for Communities at Worcestershire County Council, said: “Worcestershire County Museum is a really vital and popular resource for our residents, it has a real impact for our communities and I’m really pleased that we are able to bring our proposal for its future, to Cabinet. I’d like to thank our partners at Worcester City Council for helping us to create the proposal.”

This option would have an estimated cost to the County Council of between £800,000 and £1 million. The County Council will be applying to the Heritage Lottery fund for match funding, to help realise the vision for the site.

The Joint Museum Committee, made up of representatives from both Worcestershire County Council and Worcester City Council has been discussing the future and the options available for the County Museum.

Other options that have been considered as part of discussions by the committee included a new County Museum within County Hall, a smaller Worcestershire County Museum at Worcester Woods and a museum closure and loss of all service.

Worcestershire County Museum is part of the Hartlebury Castle site, owned by Hartlebury Castle Preservation Trust.