National Railway Museum secures £3m funding
Acknowledging the venue’s role in the wider York Central project, the Prime Minister pledged the additional finance to ensure construction work on Central Hall progresses.
Designed by architect Feilden Fowles, Central Hall will be the centrepiece for the NRM, and as well as being the reception area will consist of an 8,600 sq ft exhibition gallery, the museum’s main shop and café, and improved visitor facilities.
The funding builds on a previous £15m given by the then Conservative in 2024.
NRM director Craig Bentley said: ”Thanks to the prime minister’s announcement today we can look forward to signing the contract for our ambitious Central Hall project within days, with construction beginning next month.”
Station Hall, the main body of the NRM, reopened last year. Buttress Architects led the restoration and conservation work, which included refreshing the entire interior and exterior of the building, the installation of 632 solar roof panels across a new insulated metal-clad roof, and new glazing to the south and west elevations to allow for future train vehicle moves.
The redevelopment of the National Railway Museum forms part of the wider York Central regeneration plans, which will deliver 2,500 new homes – at least 20% of which will be affordable – and create up to one million sq ft of office, retail and hospitality space.
York Central is being developed by McLaren, Arlington, and Homes England.
Visiting the site in person on Thursday, Keir Starmer said: “The National Railway Museum is a fantastic museum. It’s a great set up and part of who we are as a country.
“I’m really pleased we’ve been able to put forward this money – and I look forward to visiting myself, but also thinking about all of the people who will be visiting in the future and the experiences they will have.”
