This underrated British museum is getting a game-changing refurb

If you’re a real Anglo-Saxon nerd, you’re probably familiar with Kirkleatham Museum, which is near its namesake town in North Yorkshire. The institution claims to host the most important Anglo-Saxon burial discovery in northern England. And in exciting news for medieval history aficionados, Kirkleatham is set to benefit from a £272,000 grant.

According to Redcar and Cleveland Council, Kirkleatham will use the cash to improve accessibility and create more ‘vibrant, flexible and inclusive’ displays. Central to the transformation is the ‘Saxon Princess’ collection, which features items from a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon princess’ grave that was discovered between 2004 and 2007. The refurbishment aims to improve conservation and provide better lighting and displays to breathe new life into the collection. 

Permanent galleries like ‘Steel Stories’ (about the area’s steel history) and ‘Lest We Forget – Footsteps of Courage’ (about the World Wars) will also be redesigned around three themes: ‘People and Place’, ‘Industry and Innovation’, and ‘Heritage and Discovery’. 

Kirkleatham Museum was built way back in 1709 and began life as part of the nearby Free School for Boys. It was turned into a local history museum in 1981. 

The funding is part of a wider £4 million to be spent on renovating 24 museums around England. Other museums that will benefit include the Manchester Museum and the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. The investment comes from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport and the Wolfson Foundation through the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund.

Cllr Carrie Richardson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate and Culture at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said: ‘This funding will allow us to transform the museum’s galleries into modern, inclusive, and engaging spaces, while ensuring nationally important collections like the Saxon Princess are protected and presented to the highest standards.’

With 80,000 visitors each year, it’s safe to say that the ‘Saxon Princess’ exhibition will be missed whilst it is closed for renovation. For the eager historians among us, you can still visit the rest of the museum or see the ‘Saxon Princess’ exhibition virtually via an online 360 tour here. Of course, nothing beats seeing those life-sized dioramas of Anglo Saxons in person, but for now it’ll do. Works are expected to finish by early 2027.