Roof repairs approved for Yorkshire Museum to tackle leaks

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 28 Oct, 15:42 · Archive

Repairs to the Yorkshire Museum's roof in York have been approved, funded by £2 million in national grants.

Repairs to the roof of the Yorkshire Museum in York have been approved to tackle significant and regular leaks affecting the almost two-century-old building. The museum has received £2 million in national funding following a successful bid from operator York Museums Trust. Works on the building in Museum Gardens are set to take place over the next two years.

Museum Senior Curator Dr Andrew Woods said the leaks threatened to damage internationally significant artefacts and fossils and were preventing investment which could bring in more than £500,000 a year in extra earnings. The museum was closing its galleries five times a year on average due to major leaks, and Dr Woods warned it may ultimately have to leave its current home if problems get worse.

The museum, which opened in 1830, is one of the first purpose-built museums in the country and houses Iron Age, Roman, Viking and Medieval artefacts, prehistoric remains including dinosaur bones, the medieval Middleham Jewel and the Anglo-Saxon Coppergate Helmet. It attracts around 80,000 visitors annually. Recent near misses include water pooling on a cabinet housing Iron Age artefacts, running down a case containing a Jurassic Ichthyosaur specimen, and dripping into a cabinet of Roman burial finds.

How it is being reported

• Action to stop 'threat' to one of Britain's oldest museums backedEfforts to stop a threat to one of the country's oldest purpose-built museums in York have been backed.Gazette & Herald (Malton) · 28 Oct, 15:15
• Action to stop 'threat' to one of Britain's oldest museums backedEfforts to stop a threat to one of the country's oldest purpose-built museums in York have been backed.York Press · 28 Oct, 15:15

In this story: Yorkshire Museum · York Museums Trust · York · Dr Andrew Woods

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