The Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, built in 1905 in the southwest of England, requires nearly £4 million (around $5.4 million) for “extensive” repairs to its roof and windows as well as its doors and facade. According to a committee report cited by the BBC, the museum—home to holdings related to ancient and natural history plus old and new art from around the world—is in “poor condition,” with the historic exterior of the Edwardian Baroque building marred by “major defects.”
“We aim to make our building more accessible for everyone and engage the community in preserving this listed building and reinterpreting and accessing collections,” said the committee report, which noted the importance of protecting the “fabric and longevity” in service of the museum as a “community resource and civic focal point.”
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The Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, home to 2.5 million objects and hosting a reported 300,000 visitors per year, features contemporary art and programming among its many offerings. Current exhibitions include “Gender Stories,” which confronts traditional binaries associated with sex and sexuality by way of work by artists including David Hockney, Catherine Opie, Grayson Perry, and Zanele Muholi, and “Bristol Pride x Martin Parr,” showcasing photographs of Bristol’s annual Pride festival by the storied British photographer.
The Bristol City Council, which owns and operates the museum, plans to apply to the Arts Council England for funding for the repairs.
“This is a major opportunity to secure significant external funding that is highly unlikely to come from within the council given current financial pressures,” the committee report said. It added: “We aim to make our building more accessible for everyone and engage the community in preserving this listed building and reinterpreting and accessing collections.”