Museum of Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire- Conservation Statement

The Museum of Lancashire has devised proposals to update and improve facilities within the museum, which is situated on Stanley Street, Preston (NGR SD 5474 2965). The aim is to improve physical and intellectual access to the building and collections of the museum. This will include renewal of displays and the upgrading of the disabled access and visitor facilities, as well as redecorating. To aid the work proposed at the Museum of Lancashire, a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant is being applied for. This report takes the form of a Conservation Statement, prepared to accompany the application.

The Museum of Lancashire is housed within a Grade II listed building that was originally Preston Court House, with many original features still retained. However, the lack of investment in the past twenty years has resulted in the museum displays and decoration becoming outdated and appearing tired. The current visitor facilities are inadequate, affecting the overall visitor experience. The redevelopment scheme therefore includes proposals to: create a new multi-functional Welcome Gallery, with displays presenting an overview of the County of Lancashire and other heritage sites across the County; redisplay the Queens Lancashire Regimental galleries to create World War One, and War and Peace galleries; redisplay other gallery and corridor areas to tell new stories relating to the County Palatine, Archaeology, History of the building, and Law and Order; improve signage and orientation around the building; provide drop-in IT facilities for research purposes; and make improvements to DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) compliancy.

The Conservation Statement includes a section on the historical background of Preston and of the Court House building. This comprised a search of both published and unpublished records held by the Historic Environment Record (HER) in Preston, the Lancashire County Record Office in Preston, and the archives and library held at the Harris Library and at OA North. A visual assessment was also made of the historic fabric of the building, comprising both a written and photographic survey of the building. This was to provide a lasting record of the museum, prior to the intended programme of alterations and renovations.

The statement identified a number of issues that need to be addressed, ranging from the condition of the building, to the collections exhibited at the museum. These issues have been developed into outline policies, which should inform and integrate with the future management of the museum.