The Design Museum has been awarded a grant of £4.65million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to assist with its plans to create the world’s leading museum of contemporary design and architecture. The Museum will now move from Bankside to the former Commonwealth Institute in Kensington. This is in addition to the £300,000 of development funding awarded by HLF in September 2010.
With the addition of the HLF grant, the Design Museum has made good progress towards raising the necessary funds to complete the new Design Museum project which is due to open in 2014. The campaign also aims to raise an endowment fund to ensure the long-term sustainability of the museum.
John Pawson has redesigned the interior of the former Commonwealth Institute, a Grade 2* listed building which has lain dormant for over a decade. The move will give the Design Museum three times more space in which to show a wider range of exhibitions, showcase its world class collection and extend its learning programme. The move will bring the museum into Kensington’s cultural quarter where it will join the V&A, Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Royal College of Art and Serpentine Gallery.
Deyan Sudjic, Director of the Museum said ‘This is a vital step forward for the new Design Museum and an outstanding vote of confidence in the future of this very exciting project.’
Sue Bowers, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund London, comments
‘We are delighted to be supporting this transformational project that will see the Design Museum, London relocated to a new and improved home. The move to the former Commonwealth Institute building will not only give this iconic building a new and long-term use, but will also allow the Design Museum’s extensive permanent collection to be available for free for the first time. With three times the space of the museums former home in Shad Thames visitors will be able to better appreciate Britain’s considerable design achievements. This is an exemplary project that will transform the museum’s important collections and add to Kensington’s already thriving cultural quarter.’
The museum has made great progress towards its fundraising target through pledges and donations including: The Conran Foundation, The Dr Mortimer and Theresa Sackler Foundation, the Atkin Foundation, The Hans and Marit Rausing Charitable Trust, The Wolfson Foundation, The Garfield Weston Foundation, Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary Settlement, 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust, The Arnold Foundation and The Department for Culture Media and Sport.