Museum gets £65,000 windfall amid uncertainty over its future in Windsor

A £65,000 windfall has been awarded to a museum in Windsor amid uncertainty over its future.

Windsor and Royal Borough Museum, based at the Windsor Guildhall, can continue to showcase royal history following a successful grant from Arts Council England.

A decision on whether its doors would remain open in the long term hung in the balance earlier this year as the museum’s funding from the council was set to run out by the end of March.

More than 1,700 people signed a Change.org petition launched by Windsor MP Jack Rankin to keep the museum open and protect the town’s tourist information centre – but the latter closed in June.

Extended museum opening hours were agreed this year on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 10am and 4pm.

Now, Windsor and Royal Borough Museum has received a £65,895 cash injection through Arts Council England’s Museum Renewal Fund for its project called ‘Celebrating our Royal History’.

This work highlighted local history and drew attention to the royal connections and significant events at the Grade I listed building.

The Museum collection holds more than 13,000 objects, having cared for a wide range of artefacts related to the borough, dating from the Stone Age to the present day.

The recent investment will ease some of the financial difficulties the Museum has faced in recent years.

English Civic Museums Network chair, Jon Finch, said they are ‘grateful’ for the support to ‘strengthen long-term financial resilience’ of civic museums.

“Across England, museums bring people together to connect with their heritage, the world around them, and with each other,” he added.

Mr Finch said visitors and residents interested in local history can sponsor an object from the museum’s curated list of over 40 items.

Sponsorships directly benefit the continued care and protection of the collection by funding the core museum operations.

It also gives sponsors exclusive benefits, including an invitation to an annual Winter Gala at Windsor Guildhall.

The grant will increase visitor access and preserve the area’s heritage by expanding its opening days starting in spring 2026.

Cabinet member for Windsor, Councillor Amy Tisi, said: “I’m excited to see the Windsor & Royal Borough Museum receive the grant from the UK Government through Arts Council England, which will help revive the museum and continue the excellent work they do in preserving and sharing our local history.

“This injection of funding is vital in securing the museum’s future as a valued heritage asset for residents and visitors to the borough.”

You can find more about Windsor and Royal Borough Museum at: www.windsormuseum.org.uk