Dr Jenner’s House on more secure footing after public appeal
Museum awarded lottery grant to plan its long-term future
A public appeal to save Dr Jenner’s House, Museum and Garden has led to a resurgence of interest and support for the Gloucestershire venue.
The museum had been facing closure before a public campaign last autumn brought in £20,000 worth of donations to secure its immediate future. The appeal raised the profile of the museum and led to a record-breaking start to its 2019 season.
The Jenner Trust, which runs the museum, has now secured a £33,200 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for a project that will see it work with an external consultant to create a strategic, long-term plan for the venue’s development.
The museum has international significance as the former home of Edward Jenner, who pioneered the discovery of the smallpox vaccine in the 1790s. It explores the story of vaccination and the eradication of smallpox and maintains an extensive archive on the history of disease eradication.
The trust’s incoming chair, Cate Statham, said: “We now have an amazing opportunity to step back and review all of our available options, rather than just focusing our limited resources on pressing short-term issues. We see this project as a crucial step towards securing the long-term future of this site of world importance and we are looking forward to getting started.”