National Trust to take over Ironbridge Gorge Museums
The Ironbridge Gorge Museums which document the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, are set to be preserved for future generations following a £9 million government grant announced today.
The funding enables the transfer of the UNESCO World Heritage Site to the National Trust. This move secures the long-term future of the internationally significant museum sites, which attract 330,000 visitors each year.
The site is an epicentre of 18th-century world industrialisation and includes attractions like Blists Hill Victorian Town and the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron. It serves as a valuable educational resource and its tourism supports jobs and local businesses.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy described the museums as “absolutely vital” and a “significant contributor to jobs and the economy in the Shropshire area.” while acknowledging that there are “difficult decisions” to be made about how to ensure the site not just “survives but goes on to thrive”.
The transfer is part of the government’s Plan for Change, aiming to boost the local economy and create new opportunities.
Hilary McGrady, Director General of the National Trust, said: “The Ironbridge Gorge is widely regarded as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution… I cannot think of something more at home in the National Trust’s care – an institution built to protect and preserve the things our nation loves on behalf of everyone, everywhere.”
Shaun Davies, MP for Telford, said: “This is a proud day for Telford. From the moment I took office in July 2024 I made it my mission to fight for the future of our incredible cultural assets. The Ironbridge Gorge Museums are more than just buildings – they represent a living history of working-class Britain, they are a window into Shropshire’s past, the story before Telford and the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.”
Mark Pemberton, Chairman of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, added that the investment is recognition of the site’s “global significance and national importance.”
The £9 million grant is a contribution towards the total sum the National Trust requires to ensure the site’s security and maintain its status as a significant visitor attraction.
