Shire Hall (Dorchester) Trust has announced that it’s received a £244,960 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to help protect the town’s much-loved heritage asset and create a sustainable future for the Shire Hall Museum.
This important resilience project will look to get a better understanding of Shire Hall’s visitors and their hopes from the museum going forward. New opportunities will be identified, and robust business models will be explored, including researching ways to grow and diversify audiences. The Trust will work with partners, including Dorset Council to develop a sustainable operating plan to safeguard the future of the museum.
Shire Hall is a Grade I listed Georgian Assize court and cells in the heart of Dorchester, Dorset. It is a rare architectural gem, being one of the best-preserved buildings of its kind, and remains almost unchanged since it first opened in 1796–7.
Since 2018, the building has housed the Shire Hall Museum, a social justice museum focusing on the impact Dorset has had on social justice history worldwide.
Rose Wallis, Chair of the Shire Hall (Dorchester) Trust said: “We’re so grateful to the Heritage Fund for supporting us to look towards Shire Hall’s future. This gives us time to engage with the future planning process and explore new sustainable opportunities that will ensure its future as a heritage and visitor centre. It’s thanks to National Lottery players that this vital work can take place to ensure a brighter future for Shire Hall Museum.”
