The Black Country Living Museum has received the go ahead for its transformational £23 million 1940s-60s expansion project.
Construction of BCLM: Forging Ahead will begin in summer 2019 with the opening date in 2022. The expansion bring to life the 1940s-60s period with everyday stories and artefacts in a new historic town setting, as well as new visitor and learning centres.
The expansion has been made possible with £9.4m of funding from National Lottery Heritage Fund, together with existing funding from the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership and Arts Council England.
BCLM’s website says that “some 500,000 visitors per year will be able to discover several under-explored themes including how globalisation impacted trade and industry; the origins of the region’s richly diverse population; the rise of the teenager; the changing role of women; and the birth of the NHS, thanks to the new historic town.”
Home of Peaky Blinders
The museum has received increasing attention as the ‘official home of Peaky Blinders’, with many scenes from the cult TV series have been filmed at the village.
Images and video: BCLM