A bright new era dawns at Melton’s museum

The Thorpe End building closed at the end of December to allow the works to be carried out.

Many of the artefacts were removed, photographed, catalogued and stored during that time.

Panels have been removed in the entrance, opening up the space and making it lighter and more welcoming.

The walls and ceiling have been painted white to lighten the space and highlight the original features of the historic building, which dates back to 1905.

The exhibition galleries have also been transformed, with lighter walls, painted floorboards and panelled backboards.

Councillor Christine Radford, Leicestershire County Council’s cabinet member for heritage, leisure and arts, said: “Melton Carnegie Museum is a wonderful showcase for the history and people of this vibrant market town and the wider borough, which attracts visitors of all ages from within the county and far beyond.

“The improvement works have made our gem of a museum an even more welcoming and attractive place to visit.”

The museum recently received top marks following an inspection by national tourism body Visit England.

It scored an impressive 88 per cent, which was up from 82 per cent in 2019.

The improvement works are part of an ongoing programme which will continue over the next few months and will see a number of updates and improvements to some of the displays and interpretation panels.