Woodford Academy - National Trust
Attic window repairs following a successful Building Works grant application
Lithgow State Mine Heritage Park and Museum
Corrugated iron roof after being repainted with funding from a Building Works grant
Yamba Museum
Yamba Museum applied for funding to install a building blanket. Temperatures inside the museum have been noticeably more stable since the work was completed.
Does your museum or gallery building work for you? Do you think your building’s ability to store and care for your collection could be improved? Or maybe your building requires improved visitor access or environmental sustainability?
The Museum & Gallery Building Improvement Program offers two opportunities for museums and galleries to improve their buildings via funding for either a Building Assessment Report or for Building Works.
If your application for a Building Assessment Report is successful, a heritage architect and a conservator will be organised to come to your building and produce a detailed assessment report that makes prioritised recommendations for how you can make improvements. This document can be incredibly useful in developing management plans, as well as in approaching organisations like councils for funding or assistance in carrying out the necessary works.
The Building Improvement grants program also offers the opportunity to apply for funds to carry out the necessary building works. If you have already received a Building Assessment from the program, or if you have an equivalent report that meets the minimum requirements (see Building Improvement Program page for details) you can apply for funding for one of the recommended areas of work.
An example of a successful recipient of both the Building Assessment Report and of the funds necessary to carry out building works identified in the original report is the Woodford Academy. Woodford Academy was awarded a Building Assessment Report in 2017, which identified that the museum’s building required urgent repairs and stabilisation. Based on the report’s findings Woodford Academy applied to the Building Improvement Program in 2018 for funds to help repair the issues identified in 2017 and were awarded funds to carry out urgent roof repairs to fix leaks, pest heat treatment and replacing deteriorating downpipes as well as several other repairs.
Previous recipients include:
- Lithgow State Mine Heritage Park and Museum were able to repaint heritage corrugated iron roofs to ensure ongoing conservation and protection of collections inside the buildings.
- Old Courthouse Museum were able to install new insultation in the ceiling and floors to improve the comfort of volunteers and visitors, as well as ensuring more stable conditions for the collection.
- Armidale Folk Museum were successful in getting a Building Assessment Report that recommended purchasing block out blinds, repairing the handrailing on the front verandah and repair of double entry doors.
The Museum and Gallery Building Improvement Program is a devolved funding program proudly supported by the NSW Government Office of Premier & Cabinet through the Heritage Council of NSW, administered by Museums & Galleries of NSW (M&G NSW) on behalf of the NSW Government.
