Preston Park Museum awarded over £200k to help put hundreds of objects on public display

Preston Park Museum and Grounds has been awarded £237,000 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund through their Dynamic Collections campaign to allow hundreds of its unseen local objects to be put on display for local people and visitors to interact with.

Preston Park Museum currently has over 100,000 objects in its collection, with less than ten percent on display for public viewing. This work aims to change that by improving access to the collections in an interactive and visible collection store.

The two-year project, made possible by National Lottery players, will help re-interpretate and improve the management of its collections, uncovering and bringing to life the stories of the people and objects from across the Tees Valley.

The objects will be housed in a new interactive and visible collection store, which is being built in addition to the wider transformation of Preston Park Museum and Grounds. This major project includes a new two-story, modern extension to the existing museum, which is set to open to the public in summer 2025. It is being funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The new building will incorporate a large flexible exhibition space and collections rooms. The new spaces will also make it possible to bring nationally significant touring exhibitions and objects to the region for the first time. 

Councillor Steve Nelson, Cabinet Member for Health Leisure and Culture at Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, said: "We are thrilled to have received this support and thanks to National Lottery players, members of the public will have the opportunity to get up close to hundreds of objects that have never been on display before.

The project will help Preston Park Museum tell untold stories and show unique objects that reflect the rich history of Stockton".

Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage said: "It is fantastic news that, thanks to National Lottery players, we're able to support Preston Park Museum with this project to ensure that their amazing collections are preserved for years to come. This investment will mean local communities and visitors from further afield can learn more about the Tees Valley's rich heritage."

Over 35 volunteers have been recruited to work alongside the museum on the monumental task of cataloguing, researching, and caring for the thousands of objects. The project will also help improve the condition of Preston Park Museum's collection ensuring that it is preserved for years to come. Objects that no longer meet the needs of the museum will be given a new home either in other museums; or given a new lease of life through community projects and educational institutions.

On Mondays throughout the summer school holidays, visitors to Preston Park will have the opportunity to discover more about the project and have their say on what objects they would like to see in the museum. There will also be a chance to have a 'behind the scenes tour' to see the museum's collection of costumes, some of which have never been on public display before. 

Visit Preston Park Museum and Grounds website for more information and to find out about the exciting transformation that is taking place, including a new extension, cafe and toilets, repurposing the aviary and new interpretation to highlight the important Stockton and Darlington railway story.