The UK’s first permanent mobile museum is set to launch next year to bring art to communities across the country, the government has announced.
A total of £1.6 million will be used to build a state-of-the-art vehicle to tour three national collections each year, including the government's art collection.
The £1.6m is made up of £800,000 from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and £800,000 from arts access charity Art Explora.
Designed by British architect Ab Rogers, the new vehicle will be the first dedicated mobile museum in the country and is part of Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy’s plan to make art accessible to everyone.
New £1.6m mobile museum
"I am determined that great art isn’t just for the few but for everyone, no matter where they live. The Government Art Collection belongs to the whole country, and this tour is an exciting step towards making that a reality," said Nandy.
"By taking the collection directly into communities, to parks, schools, libraries and public squares, we’re breaking down the barriers that have kept people from experiencing the art that belongs to everyone."
Rogers said: "It is not every day you get the opportunity to design a mobile museum. We wanted to capture the feeling of the circus arriving in town, creating an explosive burst of energy and anticipation that contains and nurtures extraordinary, curated collections.
"More mobile, more vibrant and more alive than any other museum, it’s a project that’s very close to my heart."
"A tardis for the 21st century"
From 2027, Art Explora will tour the mobile museum with three 12-week exhibitions annually.
Government artworks will feature in one exhibition every year, with other partners including Tate, the National Portrait Gallery, Leeds Art Gallery, Birmingham Museums Trust and National Museums Liverpool.
The establishment of a permanent mobile museum for the UK builds on the success of two previous Art Explora mobile museum tours in collaboration with Tate in 2023 and 2024.
"There remains a growing gap between those who have access to museums, galleries and arts venues, and those who are left behind," said Jemima Montagu, director of Art Explora.
Government artworks on view
"Art Explora is trying to bridge this divide by taking art into the heart of communities and sharing our rich national collections more widely," she added.
"The new UK mobile museum is a stunning piece of design and engineering, which will itself be a source of wonder and inspiration wherever it goes. A tardis for the 21st century!"
In January, the government announced a £1.5 billion funding package for UK cultural organisations over a five-year period in response to underfunding over the last decade.
