The National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI) has revealed scaled-down plans for its storage facility at Wroughton following last year's rejection of its original plans by the Big Lottery Fund.
The original Inspired project for Wroughton was one of five schemes competing for a grant of up to £50m to be decided by a televised vote, but it was dropped because of the programme committee's concerns about "design, project costs and the overall business case". Inspired version two will cost about £11m and involve joining two hangars at the former aircraft base near Swindon.
"We were disappointed not to succeed with the lottery funding for Wroughton, so we have a much scaled-down project now. The primary objective is to build a suitable storage space for the collection there," Science Museum director Chris Rapley told Museums Journal.
Rapley also revealed plans for two major projects at the Science Museum in South Kensington: a £6.5m climate change and energy challenge gallery to open in 2010 and the redevelopment of the Who Am I? gallery, for which it has just secured a £2.5m grant from the Wellcome Trust.
One of Rapley's aims is for Wroughton to be a showcase for low-carbon technologies, with live links to the energy gallery at South Kensington.
The Science Museum and Wroughton are part of the NMSI group, which also includes the National Media Museum in Bradford and
the National Railway Museum in York.
Rapley said the restructure of the group by NMSI director Martin Earwicker has given him more money for capital projects: "Combined with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport settlement, my budget has increased by £1m a year. We are now able to do things that we couldn't do before."
The news of the developments comes at a time when the NMSI is in a pay dispute with staff. Members of the PCS and Prospect unions held a one-day strike on 13 June, with about 200 employees taking part across the four sites.
A spokeswoman for the NMSI said its pay award "mirrors exactly our grant-in aid-settlements" but that it was open to further negotiations with the unions.
The original Inspired project for Wroughton was one of five schemes competing for a grant of up to £50m to be decided by a televised vote, but it was dropped because of the programme committee's concerns about "design, project costs and the overall business case". Inspired version two will cost about £11m and involve joining two hangars at the former aircraft base near Swindon.
"We were disappointed not to succeed with the lottery funding for Wroughton, so we have a much scaled-down project now. The primary objective is to build a suitable storage space for the collection there," Science Museum director Chris Rapley told Museums Journal.
Rapley also revealed plans for two major projects at the Science Museum in South Kensington: a £6.5m climate change and energy challenge gallery to open in 2010 and the redevelopment of the Who Am I? gallery, for which it has just secured a £2.5m grant from the Wellcome Trust.
One of Rapley's aims is for Wroughton to be a showcase for low-carbon technologies, with live links to the energy gallery at South Kensington.
The Science Museum and Wroughton are part of the NMSI group, which also includes the National Media Museum in Bradford and
the National Railway Museum in York.
Rapley said the restructure of the group by NMSI director Martin Earwicker has given him more money for capital projects: "Combined with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport settlement, my budget has increased by £1m a year. We are now able to do things that we couldn't do before."
The news of the developments comes at a time when the NMSI is in a pay dispute with staff. Members of the PCS and Prospect unions held a one-day strike on 13 June, with about 200 employees taking part across the four sites.
A spokeswoman for the NMSI said its pay award "mirrors exactly our grant-in aid-settlements" but that it was open to further negotiations with the unions.
Links
BIG Lottery ditches NMSI, Museums Journal December 2007, p7
Chris Rapley profile, Museums Journal August 2008, p34
BIG Lottery ditches NMSI, Museums Journal December 2007, p7
Chris Rapley profile, Museums Journal August 2008, p34
