To be housed on a prime site near the Castle entrance and river, the HLF’s investment in the museum will see major benefits to visitors and the community, with much-needed spacious gallery spaces and facilities for research, education, and the demands of local schools.

Arundel town is an important local resource for learning about local and national history and AMS will use the new museum to inform people's exploration, enjoyment and understanding of the town. The collections, dating from pre-historic times to the late 19th century, relate to the ancient market town and port of Arundel and surrounding area, which includes one of the few surviving castles in England to have been occupied since the Norman period, and several archaeological sites, scheduled monuments and ancient parkland.

Arundel adjoins Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is on the edge of the newly designated National Park. The area attracts between 700,000 to 800,000 visitors a year.

The new museum building – which will also contain a large foyer and information point, offices and fully accessible storage space – is to be designed by Graham Whitehouse of GWP Architects, with interior design by Potter Associates.

Stuart McLeod, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund for South East England, said: “The determination and tireless enthusiasm of the volunteers in keeping Arundel Museum going is to be applauded. Now, the collections can be fully brought to life and the museum can become the hub of the community for people of all ages once more.”

Chairman of Arundel Museum, Pauline Carder, explains the story behind the museum: "From its origins in the 1960s in the Undercroft of the Town Hall and  the first move in 1977 to new and bigger premises at the old Borough Council offices in the High Street, to sadly closing its doors in 2007 after the lease on that building expired, Arundel Museum has been on a long journey to gaining the lottery money for a permanent new building to house its collections.

"Thanks to the generosity of Osborne and Speedy Space sponsoring a Portakabin, and the Castle Trustees agreeing to it being situated in the main car park, we have managed to keep a presence in the town over the past three years and staged selected displays which are changed two or three times a year. We have maintained our ‘Walks and Talks’, outreach, research and family research programmes as well as a range of social and fundraising events.

"Now, thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund, we are absolutely delighted that the new museum, to be built on land to be leased at a peppercorn rent from the Arundel Castle Trustees, will mean that Arundel’s history and heritage will be safeguarded and be accessible to residents and visitors for the foreseeable future”.

Notes to editors

The new museum will serve Arundel and the villages of South Stoke, North Stoke, Bury, Madehurst, Slindon, Binsted, Tortington, Lyminster, Poling, Warningcamp, Wepham, Burpham, parts of Ford and the fringes of Yapton and Walberton.

Find out more about the Arundel Museum.

Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported more than 30,000 projects, allocating over £4.5billion across the UK, including £423million to projects in the South East alone.

Further information

Vicky Wilford, HLF press office on 020 7591 6046 / 07973 401 937 or vickyw@hlf.org.uk.

Pauline Carder at the Arundel Museum on 01903 882 456 or info@arundelmuseum.org.uk.