Imperial War Museums has received a key boost in the development of new exhibitions at its Duxford site, as part of a larger ten-year strategy to secure its relevance and appeal across regional, national and international audiences. The museum has secured £222,456 in development funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and is preparing to apply for a further £4.5 million grant.
The funding will enable the creation of Second World War galleries at IWM Duxford, focusing on presenting a more cohesive interpretation of the conflict. Several items from the museum’s extensive collection will be available to the public for the first time, to support broader educational and interpretive ambitions.
The galleries are expected to open in 2027, forming a key element in the museum’s wider plan to shape Duxford into a top-tier visitor destination with long-term operational sustainability. As part of this strategy, investment will also go towards the restoration of several historic hangars. This work is essential to improving collection care and long-term exhibition conditions, ensuring that aviation assets are presented with curatorial integrity.
These efforts build on earlier phases of site development. In 2020, IWM opened The Ops Block, repurposing previously unseen Second World War rooms into an interactive exhibition. More recently, the conservation team restructured the AirSpace exhibition, refining its layout and futureproofing its Cold War and contemporary conflict focus.
SS Great Britain project secures multi-source funding
Further investment in UK heritage attractions comes from the SS Great Britain Trust in Bristol, which has secured over £1 million in funding for a new visitor experience. The Trust has drawn from several sources, including £705,000 from the Philip Nicholas Trust and £245,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Additional funding has been pledged by the Headley Trust, with ongoing fundraising to support project completion.
The funding will support the redevelopment of the Dockyard Museum under the title ‘Global Voyages’. The initiative seeks to reframe the historical narratives told on site, ensuring they reflect the international impact of SS Great Britain’s operations. This includes actively involving underrepresented communities in shaping content and curation.
The project will introduce a new community engagement space and create a dedicated curator role focused on local and global community histories. This will enable more inclusive and relevant interpretation while providing scope for new partnerships working across heritage, education, and creative sectors.
Long-term value for B2B stakeholders
Both projects represent significant opportunities for suppliers, design consultants and operational specialists working in the visitor attraction sector. These multi-million-pound developments will generate a wide range of procurement and collaboration opportunities from exhibition design and fit-out to heritage conservation and community programming.
For museums and attractions seeking to develop strategic plans of their own, these initiatives offer strong case studies in phased capital investment, diversified funding, and inclusive curatorial development. With clear public engagement goals and a firm commitment to sector best practice, IWM Duxford and SS Great Britain are setting new benchmarks for future-facing museum experiences grounded in historical content.
