National Lottery Grants for Heritage – £250,000 to £5million
Our support – totalling more than £9million – will contribute towards a wide-reaching programme of community engagement, collections management and facilities redevelopment at the RAF Museum Midlands in Cosford.
Delivery of the full project will cost more than £28m, transforming the museum for a new generation of visitors.
The investment will establish the museum as an anchor institution for the region, supporting economic growth, reducing environmental impact and purchasing locally to invest in Shropshire and beyond.
The museum will build a new Learning Centre, dedicated to the development and delivery of activities for all ages. Co-designed with local schools and community groups, the team will draw upon the extensive collection to spark inspiration across science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects and the arts.
An activity programme will connect under-served and local audiences with RAF history, facilitated through a purpose-built 4,000m2 Collections Hub.
Here, visitors will engage with their shared heritage, with their contributions informing how the collection will be presented in the future. Visitor engagement will be further enhanced by a new exhibition in the main hangar, telling the story of the RAF’s role on the world stage since 1980.
Throughout the site, the project will create modern, sustainable public spaces inside and out, with a focus on biodiversity and accessibility – improving the visitor experience for everyone.
Find out more about RAF Museum Midlands or discover how our support is helping museums, libraries and archives across the UK.
