November 28, 2011 3.30 pm This story is over 147 months old

Museum revamp for sixth anniversary

Improvement: The Collection celebrated six years of existence by unveiling a series of improvements, including a new cafe and play area.

The Collection in Lincoln unveiled a series of improvements for its sixth anniversary, including a new activity centre for younger visitors.

The key development in the revamp is a new ‘learn-and-play’ area for children, which has dressing up, story books, toys, and colouring-in activities.

New display cases erected in the Orientation Hall will allow the museum to display a greater selection of artefacts.

The changes are complemented by improvements to the existing café, which is now run by Stokes

It is hoped that the re-furnished café will attract visitors in its own right, providing valuable additional income for the museum.

Meanwhile, improvements to the electrical and mechanical systems will mean the museum runs more efficiently in future, and are projected to save nearly £20,000 a year in running costs, as well as significantly reducing the carbon footprint of the museum.

The Collection’s William Mason said: “These changes mean a bright future to us. We’ve had a fantastic first six years of operation, with loads of positive comments and fantastic exhibitions.

“We need to maintain that level of quality, and after six years take the opportunity to reflect on what we’ve done.

“We will continue to look to the future, and make changes to make the site more sustainable, more profitable, and generally a better experience for our visitors.”

The changes have been funded by the Renaissance programme, which is administered by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and by Arts Council England.