The Pioneer Museum in Rochdale - the birthplace of the Co-operative movement - is to receive a £2.3m makeover.

The Co-operative Heritage Trust has today (20 July) been awarded £1.5m by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to fund the development.

The museum will be transformed and updated, creating new visitor facilities and learning spaces. New displays will be designed incorporating images and objects from the National Co-operative Archive while new specialist staff will be recruited to work with schools, colleges and the local community using the archive and museum collections.

Sara Hilton, head of HLF North West, said: “The development of the Co-operative movement is an important part of our social history - both for our local communities and for people across the world. By safeguarding the Co-operative collection and redeveloping the Rochdale Pioneers building this project will mean that more people will have the opportunity to learn about and be inspired by the story of the co-operative movement.”

In 1844 the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers began trading as a Co-operative at 31 Toad Lane, based on a set of principles that would guide Co-operative societies across the world to this day. The Pioneers' original store on Toad Lane was rented by them and they moved away in 1867 but it was later purchased by the movement, and opened as a museum in 1931, telling the story of how the co-operative movement developed through self-help to increase productive employment and overcome poverty.

The redevelopment aims to give more people access to the museum and collections. The museum building will be remodelled restoring part of the third floor to provide a dedicated education space and building an extension to hold a new staircase and lift to give full access to all parts of the museum. At the same time, an interactive museum website will be developed that will open up access to items not physically on display.