Duke of Gloucester visits Monkwearmouth
Duke of Gloucester visits Monkwearmouth Station Museum
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His Royal Highness, The Duke of Gloucester, paid an official visit to Monkwearmouth Station Museum on Friday 16 May 2008 to re-launch the venue during his visit to the City of Sunderland.
The Museum has recently enjoyed a £1 million facelift with repairs to the building, together with a new suite of displays and exciting temporary exhibitions. Since its re-opening, the museum has already attracted 40,215 enthusiastic visitors.
The Duke enjoyed a special tour of the Museum and met both those involved in the refurbishment of the Museum, including architects, designers and curators, as well as visitors and volunteers who are regular users and supporters of the Museum.
The youngest people to greet His Royal Highness were members of the Railway Rascals group who presented him with an example of their work, created in the popular Children's Gallery.
His Royal Highness trained as an architect and was particularly keen to see what has been described by no lesser authority than Pevsner as one of the most handsome stations in existence. During his visit, His Royal Highness unveiled a plaque to commemorate his visit and mark the re-launch of the Museum.
In introducing His Royal Highness, Councillor Mel Speding, Sunderland's Porfolio Holder for Culture and Leisure, and Tyne & Wear Museums' Vice-chair said:
"It was a great honour to welcome The Duke to visit Monkwearmouth Station Museum and to meet some of the people involved with its work.
"It has long been a very popular museum amongst the people of Sunderland and we are delighted to have been able to give it a new lease of life. Indeed, the extremely positive and enthusiastic public response to its re-opening bears testimony to its place in the hearts of local people."
He went on to thank the Duke for his interest and support.
Monkwearmouth Station Museum opened last August, with seven newly refurbished interactive galleries. The redevelopment included the specially designed Children's Gallery and the venue now offers a modernised, accessible environment for visitors, with new heating and lighting systems and learning and community rooms on the upper floor.
The redevelopment of Monkwearmouth Station Museum has been funded by a grant of £497,000 from The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) together with contributions from Sunderland City Council, the DCMS/Wolfson Foundation Museums & Galleries Improvement Fund, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Renaissance North East, Tyne & Wear Museums Business Partners Fund and The Friends of Sunderland Museums (FOSUMS).The total investment is over £1 million.
Whilst in the area, The Duke also took the opportunity to declare his official support of the Wearmouth-Jarrow Nomination for World Heritage Site Status during an event at St Peter's Church, Sunderland.