Wisbech Museum: New entrance and courtyard garden open

Among 140 guests welcomed by museum chairman Steve Mcgregor were local financial supporters, Wisbech mayor and town councillors, museum staff, volunteers and Friends, architects and builders as well as representatives of the local, regional and national bodies.

Museum treasurer David Ball, who led the project, told guests gathered in the entrance garden that while the 1977 extension where the new accessible entrance has been made had been refurbished twice, the original 1847 building had never before been given the attention it needed and deserved.

Museum president Richard Barnwell with its 'white knight' Historic England's representative Natalie Gates. (Image: Wisbech Tweet)

He said when Historic England assessors declared it At Risk in 2017, the directors had decided that “for better or worse, the museum had stayed close to its Victorian origins and to abandon this would be wrong.

“A generous supporter and benefactor who could make our dreams of repairing the fabric come true was needed and in due course it became apparent that our white knight was Historic England.”

Historic England, represented by its East of England team leader for partnerships, Natalie Gates, paid £667,500 towards the whole project.

The new accessible entrance at Wisbech Museum (Image: Wisbech Tweet)

All other contributors who raised the full cost between them with a shortfall of just £3,000 are now commemorated with a plaque inside the new entrance.

Every contributor was named and thanked as well as all the professionals who worked on the project by museum president Richard Barnwell, who officially opened the new entrance and the garden that was completed by a team of volunteers this month.

He said: “We are all here because we love and are inspired by our museum and its collections, which together form the memory bank of our ancient town's history, which in turn gives us all a true sense of place.”