Council approves £260,000 match funding for Exeter's Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery

Councillors have approved funding to back a bid that could bring up to £2.4 million of external investment into the Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery (RAMM).

At an Extraordinary Council meeting, members agreed to allocate up to £260,000 in match funding towards a bid to Arts Council England's Museum Estate and Development (MEND) Round 6 programme. The approval clears the way for the council to submit a full application for the wider funding.

If successful, the money would go towards replacing RAMM's ageing heating and cooling systems and restoring the Roman Wall Bridge, while also creating scope to build in future decarbonisation measures.

Why the investment is needed

RAMM's environmental control systems are nearing the end of their working life, and one of the museum's two boilers has already failed. Council officers say the project is needed to protect the museum's nationally significant collections, maintain safe conditions inside the building, and improve its long-term resilience.

The Roman Wall Bridge, which has been closed to the public for around eight years, would also be restored as part of the works. Reopening it is expected to improve public access to one of Exeter's key heritage sites and give visitors a better understanding of the city's Roman history.

Council reaction

Councillor Lucy Findlay, Lead Councillor for Culture and City Centre, said the funding bid represented an important step for one of the city's cultural institutions.

"This is an important investment in one of Exeter's most cherished cultural institutions," she said. "By supporting this funding bid, we're taking proactive steps to safeguard nationally significant collections, improve visitor access to our heritage and attract substantial external investment into the city.

"The restoration of the Roman Wall Bridge will reconnect visitors with a unique part of Exeter's history, while the infrastructure improvements will help ensure RAMM remains a thriving cultural destination for years to come."

What happens next

With the match funding now approved, the council can submit its full application to Arts Council England. The project has been developed with support from Historic England and specialist technical advisers, and will also look at options for incorporating lower-carbon technologies as part of RAMM's long-term sustainability plans.