(Image: Sunderland City Council)
A popular museum is getting ready to shut its doors for a £13.6 million transformation.
Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens will close on Saturday, August 29, ahead of a four-year redevelopment that aims to create a "museum that is fit for the future" while preserving its heritage.
The project, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England, The Wolfson Foundation, and other partners, will see the ground floor redesigned to include new galleries that tell the stories of Sunderland’s people and history.
Councillor Ciera Hudspith, cabinet member for culture, tourism and heritage at Sunderland City Council, said: "This once-in-a-generation transformation is about creating a museum that is fit for the future, while protecting its heritage and collections for generations to come.
"While we know people will be sad to see the museum temporarily close, this marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for one of our best-loved attractions.
"We're also really excited to take museum activities out into communities across our city while the redevelopment work is underway."
During the closure, a "vibrant programme" of events and activities will continue across Sunderland, including family workshops, pop-up exhibitions, talks, and school outreach through loan boxes and classroom sessions.
A new Culture House will open on September 12, providing a nearby venue for some museum activities.
Projects planned during the closure include a co-created digital exhibition and podcast series on Sunderland’s industrial history, a photography project documenting the changing city, and the Sunderland Stories on Tour outreach programme.
Young people will also have a chance to help create public artworks inspired by the museum’s collections.
The redevelopment will also include a new entrance connecting the museum to Mowbray Park, a community learning facility called The Growing Space, and improvements to the museum collections, interpretation, and visitor experience.
Essential repairs and upgrades to the historic building will also take place during the closure.
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Councillor Hudspith said: "This is not simply a closure programme; it's a chance to experience the museum slightly differently.
"Over the next few years, we'll be taking the museum into schools, community centres, libraries, festivals, and neighbourhood venues right across Sunderland."
"People will be able to help curate exhibitions, record memories, work with artists, explore objects from the collections, contribute stories, and play a direct role in continuing to shape the museum's future."
Before work begins, residents are invited to visit the museum and Winter Gardens one last time before the doors close.
During the closure, all collections, plants, and tropical fish will be professionally cared for, with conservation and storage managed by museum staff.