attractions & mUseUms


£50m package to support new HMS Victory trust


Te Ministry of Defence (MoD) is to trans- fer HMS Victory to a new charitable trust established as part of the National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth. HMS Victory Preservation Trust will now


be responsible for maintaining Admiral Nelson’s iconic flagship and has been awarded £50m to support its future work. A £25m capital grant has been confirmed


by the Gosling Foundation, which will be matched with a further £25m from the MoD to secure the vessel’s long-term future. Read more: http://lei.sr?a=P2F2T


Domestic boost for UK attractions


A number of UK attractions recorded increases in visi- tor numbers during 2011, according to figures from the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA). In its members’ visitor fig-


ures for 2011, ALVA said that one of largest increases in vis- itors was seen by the newly refurbished National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh (up 141 per cent on 2010) – mak- ing it the most visited tourist attraction outside London. Te capital’s Westminster


Te refurbished National Museum of Scotland has proved a big success


Abbey – the focus of global attention before and aſter the wedding of HRH Te Duke and Duchess of Cambridge last April – enjoyed a 36 per cent increase in visitors (1.9 million), placing the Abbey among the top 10 most-visited attractions for the first time. Elsewhere, the British Museum maintained its position as the UK’s most visited attraction


Historic Royal Palaces is behind the renovations


Kensington Palace to reopen after £12m facelift


London’s Kensington Palace is to reopen on 26 March following an extensive £12m transformation project undertaken by Historic Royal Palaces (HRP). Te property is currently closed in order


for its interiors to be restored as part of the project, while a shop, a café and a liſt to allow access to all floors will also feature. Meanwhile, new gardens will link the


palace to the neighbouring park and work has included the reinstatement of historic vistas to and from the building. Read more: http://lei.sr?a=O5v9Y


ACE announces further Renaissance details


Further details of Arts Council England’s (ACE) Renaissance National programmes, which will support regional museums in England, have been announced. Te initiative includes the Designation


and Accreditation schemes, national collec- tion purchase programmes and campaigns such as Kids in Museums. Renaissance National programmes are


worth £2.5m a year and are one of the four components of the £45m Renaissance fund available to regional museums. Read more: http://lei.sr?a=P4M3a


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after welcoming 5.85 million visitors – an increase of just 0.1 per cent on last year. Greenwich’s Old Royal Naval College (up 31


per cent to 1.67 million) and York’s National Railway Museum (up 17 per cent to 732,000 visitors) also reported major increases. Read more: http://lei.sr?a=N7o3X


Attractions ‘vision’ for Cork’s Spike Island


Cork County Council is plan- ning a “cluster” of activities and attractions as part of its vision for Spike Island, a for- mer military and penal site located in southern Ireland. A design team led by Scott


Tallon Walker Architects and including landscape strategist Mitchell and Associates has been appointed to draw up proposals for the site. Te initial phase of devel-


oping the island will see more ferry services provided to offer “adequate” access for visitors, while also exploring additional access solutions. Spike Island will benefit from the restoration


Te local authority is proposing to revitalise Spike Island (foreground) Te island’s fort will house an interpretive


of buildings and structures that are to then be brought back into use on a phased basis and in keeping with the island’s business plan.


experience exploring the site’s history, while the Rampart Walk will become an attraction offering views overlooking Cork Harbour. Read more: http://lei.sr?a=Z5k5s


31 March opening for UK’s Harry Potter attraction


Warner Bros Entertainment has confirmed that it’s Harry Potter-themed studio tour attraction at Leavesden Studios near Watford, Hertfordshire, will open on 31 March. Warner Bros Studio Tour London-The Making of Harry Potter will boast some of the


Read Leisure Opportunities online: www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/digital


most iconic sets included in the films, includ- ing the Great Hall and Dumbledore’s office. Other sets to be included will be the Ministry


of Magic; 4 Privet Drive; Gryffindor’s common room; and the Hogwarts bridge. Read more: http://lei.sr?a=M5X1y


Twitter: @leisureopps © CYBERTREK 2012


image: port of cork


image: steve cadman


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