AttrActions & museums


Public reopening for steamship attraction


One of the world’s oldest complete steam- ships is to reopen to the public in London after it was awarded nearly £1m by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). SS Robin is located at a purpose-built


pontoon at Royal Victoria Docks follow- ing a three-year restoration. A visitor centre will also be housed within the pontoon. Nishani Kampfner, CEO and co-founder


of the SS Robin Trust, said: “Te HLF fund- ing will be used to create an authentic and memorable experience for visitors.” Details: http://bit.ly/i6VWhj


Art Fund Prize longlist announced


Four newly-opened museums and three Scottish attractions are among the 10 institutions to be included on the longlist for the annual Art Fund Prize, which is now in its 10th year. The accolade, which was


handed to the British Museum for its History of the World project last year, comes with a £100,000 cash prize and aims to celebrate excellence and innovation. Among the new sites


to be longlisted are the Riverside Museum, Glagsow; Hepworth Wakefield; Turner Contemporary, Kent; and M Shed, Bristol. A number of redeveloped sites also fea-


Bristol’s new M Shed is one of the 10 venues shortlisted for the accolade


ture, including: the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery in Exeter. Bath’s Holburne Museum; Watts Gallery, Guildford; Bletchley Park near Milton Keynes;


A viewing platform could be opened at the bridge


Viewing platform planned for Forth Rail Bridge?


Network Rail, responsible for maintaining the UK rail network, is reportedly consid- ering plans for a viewing platform on top of Scotland’s Forth Rail Bridge. According to the BBC, the company is


looking at allowing visitors travel more than 300ſt (91m) to the top of the iconic structure overlooking the Firth of Forth. Network Rail recently finished a scheme


to re-paint and restore the landmark struc- ture, which included the installation of three liſts to provide access to workers. Details: http://bbc.in/zvXReV


Work starts on Lancashire coastal attraction


Wyre Borough Council (WBC) has started work on a new observation tower at Rossall Point, Lancashire, as part of wider efforts to regenerate the local seafront. Parkinsons has been appointed contrac-


tor for the scheme, which will see a new 14m (46ſt) tower link developments on the promenade at Cleveleys and Fleetwood. WBC’s cabinet member with responsi-


bility for economic development, Gordon McCann, said: “Tis is a key part of our programme to regenerate the seafront.” Details: http://bit.ly/yElVrJ


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and National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh, complete the longlist for this year’s award. Lord Smith of Finsbury, chair of the judges,


said: “Whittling the achievements of Britain’s museums over the past year down to a list of ten was an unbelievably challenging task.” Details: http://bit.ly/9tGD1x


April start for Dickens museum renovation


London’s Charles Dickens Museum has announced that a £3.2m revamp will get underway in April aſter the attraction revealed “sufficient funds” were now in place. Te museum is due to close


from 9 April until December for work to be carried out in time to open for Dickensian Christmas celebrations in the novelist’s bicentenary year. Two listed buildings will


undergo restoration work as part of the Great Expectations scheme to cater for increas- ing visitor number, which will involve necessary structural repairs. Access improvements and the reinterpre-


tation of collections are also to be carried out during the project, which is part-funded with a £2m Heritage Lottery Fund grant.


Te museum is to relaunch ahead of Dickensian Christmas celebrations During the closure of the museum, it is


hoped that other attractions will be able to borrow from its collections to help mark the 200th anniversary of the author’s birth. Details: http://bit.ly/w3xay9


£150,000 funding boost for Welsh botanic gardens


Te National Botanic Garden of Wales has secured an additional £150,000 worth of public funding aſter meeting performance targets set out by the Welsh Assembly Government. Last year, the Assembly Government announced a three-year package comprising


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


£550,000 of annual revenue funding between 2012 and 2014, plus a conditional £150,000. Aſter meeting the performance targets over


the last 12 months, the Carmarthenshire attrac- tion is now in line to receive the extra support. Details: http://bit.ly/xfgD5O


Twitter: @leisureopps © CYBERTREK 2012


image (c) neil phillips photography


image: ruy lestrade:


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