Southampton's oldest museum has been awarded a £3.5m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) in order to carry out restoration work that will safeguard the attraction's future.

Tudor House, which dates back to the late 15th century , is set to undergo an extensive refurbishment programme that will enable the Grade I-listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument to be removed from the 'Heritage At Risk Register'.

The former Tudor merchant house, which has survived slum clearance and wartime bomb damage, has been closed since 2002 to allow the first stage of a restoration scheme to take place, also funded by the HLF, including structural stabilisation.

Work on the second phase, which will be funded by the latest grant, is led by Southampton City Council (SCC) and includes the repair and restoration of the Tudor House Museum and Tudor Merchants Hall, as well as the creation of new visitor facilities, including lifts, toilets, a café and a shop.

Visitors will also be given the chance to record memories of Tudor House as part of the museum's centenary celebrations in 2012, while the Grade II-listed Tudor Merchants Hall is set to become an education base.

SCC cabinet member for leisure, culture and heritage, John Hannides, said: "Tudor House Museum is one of our best-loved buildings, and the council has been working hard to ensure that it can reopen as a regionally important museum.

"Once completed, Tudor House will be a truly magnificent attraction, not just for local people, but for tourists as well."