The government has announced a £20 million fund to be distributed to 75 local and regional museums across England. The Museum Renewal Fund aims to safeguard public access to collections, support community and educational programmes, improve opening hours and sustain jobs for local communities. Officials say the grants will also help museums attract tourists and employers to regions and keep venues viable for the future. The money sits within the £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund and the wider Plan for Change to boost economic growth nationwide.

Grants range from £11,000 to more than £1 million. Notable allocations include York Museums Trust receiving £1,000,000 and Hampshire Cultural Trust receiving £1,177,430. Birmingham Museums Trust is set to receive £994,742, among other recipients across the country. The DCMS has published the full list of grant recipients.

Baroness Fiona Twycross, the museums minister, said: “Museums offer a place where people from all backgrounds can learn, be inspired and delve into our rich history, helping to understand the stories that led us to where we are today. The Museum Renewal Fund is contributing to the delivery of our plan for change. It ensures much-loved civic museums can remain open and continue to provide opportunities for future generations to learn about our shared heritage and how their local community has played its part in our national story.” Sir Nicholas Serota, chair of Arts Council England, said: “Travelling through cities, towns and villages across the UK, I have seen that museums and art galleries are often a proud focal point in communities, telling important stories about history, people and place. This funding will provide a crucial lifeline for local museums in stabilising their financial situation and building towards a sustainable future.”