The Tank Museum in Dorset has been awarded £344,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund for a Supporting Collections Study Centre.

The development, which will house the museum’s collections of medals, uniforms, models, personal collections and art, is also being joint-funded by the Ministry of Defence, the Designation Challenge Fund and the museum itself.

The announcement follows an £8.55m Heritage Lottery Fund grant awarded in January to update facilities within the museum itself.

Museum spokesman Nik Wyness said that the museum currently only has space to display 10 per cent of its supporting items and that the new centre will allow the rest to be exhibited as well as offering a new photographic studio, workspace and teaching and learning areas.

The news comes in the same week as the Museums Association unveiled its report saying that museums must take steps to make more of their collections available to the public. Details: www.tankmuseum.com