UK Government announces £9 million grant, enabling National Trust to secure future of museums within UNESCO World Heritage Site that attract 330,000 visitors annually.
The birthplace of the Industrial Revolution is to be saved and kept open for future generations, following a £9 million government grant announced today.
The funding will enable the transfer of the Ironbridge Gorge museums to the National Trust, securing the future of this internationally significant heritage site and ensuring continued access to Britain’s industrial heritage for hundreds of thousands of annual visitors.
The Ironbridge Gorge was designated as one of Britain’s first UNESCO World Heritage Sites, recognising its pivotal role as the epicentre of 18th century world industrialisation. The site encompasses 10 museums and 35 listed heritage buildings and Scheduled Monuments, and showcases the engineering prowess of our ancestors. It attracts 330,000 visitors annually from the West Midlands, across the UK and beyond.
Attractions include Blists Hill Victorian Town, the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron, and the Old Furnace. The museums on site serve as a valuable educational resource for schoolchildren whilst offering families an engaging historical experience. The tourism generated also supports local businesses including pubs, restaurants, hotels and shops, providing employment throughout the area.
The transfer of the sites to the National Trust will mean that the museums on site benefit from the strength of the National Trust’s brand and its large membership base. Combined with government investment, this transition aims to enhance the museums’ success and draw even greater numbers of visitors to discover Shropshire’s contribution to the Industrial Revolution.
This intervention is the latest step of the government’s Plan for Change, ensuring that the site continues to boost the local economy through increased tourism and employment, as well as opening up valuable opportunities for the local community to connect with their heritage.