Four museums awarded over £225k to enhance visitor experience and sustainability

MGS has awarded four grants through the most recent round of the Museum Development Fund. The funded projects focus on enhancing visitor experiences and accessibility while promoting sustainability and community engagement.

The projects include upgrading facilities to improve accessibility, integrating technology for better collections cataloguing and engagement, and ensuring that the museums can operate sustainably in the future. The projects also highlight the importance of staff and volunteer development to support these initiatives.

Angus Robertson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture said:

“These awards highlight the transformational opportunities that targeted funding can unlock for the many wonderful museums that tell Scotland’s story, and the hardworking staff and volunteers who keep them running.

“While their focuses are different, each award will develop the social and economic benefits that these museums provide to their local communities, in line with the Scottish Government’s commitment to safeguard our nation’s cultural heritage.”

Lucy Casot, CEO Museums Galleries Scotland said:

“We’re delighted to fund these future focused projects from museums across Scotland. These initiatives will invest in the skills required to preserve our cultural heritage and prioritise long-term planning. I particularly welcome how these projects address the necessity to adapt to continue to meet the needs of local communities and engage with new and existing audiences.”

Glasgow Life has received £60,000 to enhance the retail and catering space at People’s Palace as part of the museum’s redevelopment project. The funded project will improve the visitor experience by increasing accessibility to the café, refreshing its appearance, and providing affordable food and drink offerings. The new museum retail space will provide unique, sustainable, and cost-effective products inspired by the collection.

Jane Rowlands, Head of Museums and Collections at Glasgow Life, said:

“This funding announcement for the People’s Palace is wonderful news. We’re hugely grateful to Museums Galleries Scotland for supporting our vision to reimagine the museum’s catering and retail spaces, as part of a wider transformation that will breathe new life into Glasgow’s social history museum.

“Across the whole project we are working closely with local communities and aim to enhance the café and shop to ensure they help create memorable visitor experiences and contribute to a more sustainable future for the People’s Palace, so that it can be enjoyed for generations to come.”

The David Livingstone Trust has received £54,200 to support the skills development of its 50 volunteers. The volunteers support the small core team at David Livingstone Birthplace Museum by providing museum tours, helping to run the gift shop, and maintaining the parklands. This funding will help the museum in identifying and addressing training needs, allowing the team of volunteers to reach their full potential. The grant will also fund a Volunteer Coordinator to manage the volunteers and work experience placements.

Nairn Museum has received £58,225 to support the development of a new collections cataloguing system, which will be publicly available. The new system will fully integrate the museum’s core catalogues of objects, photographs, and archives into a single, dynamic platform. The project aims to improve the preservation, searchability, and public engagement of the museum’s collection. The funding will also support the launch of a new podcast series where the museum will share hidden stories, amplify community voices, and invite public participation.

Glencoe Folk Museum has received £53,162 to fund a Project Director post to oversee the museum’s transformational capital redevelopment project. This project will bring significant changes to the museum site, including the addition of toilet facilities, which the site currently lacks. Other improvements include the installation of solar panels and an air source heat pump, which will help to reduce the museum’s carbon footprint. The post holder will oversee building works and ensure a successful reopening next year. Additionally, the Project Director will play a crucial role in ensuring the museum’s financial sustainability after its reopening in 2026 by developing a business plan and conducting an operational readiness review.