Museum Tours Raise More Than £14,500 for Ipswich Museum Redevelopment

Ipswich Museum welcomed almost 2,000 visitors through its doors this year as part of a series of exclusive fundraising events and Behind-the-Scenes tours, marking the first public access to the building since it closed for redevelopment in October 2022.

These special events have given the community a unique opportunity to see the progress being made on the ambitious Ipswich Museum redevelopment project, while helping to raise vital funds for the museum’s transformation ahead of its planned reopening in 2027.

On 9 May, Ipswich Museum opened its doors for the first time in nearly three years to host a special string concert performed by members of Trianon Music Group.

Conducted by Ian McCrae, the programme featured works by celebrated composers Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel and Edvard Grieg. The concert welcomed 88 attendees and raised more than £1,000 for the Ipswich Museum redevelopment fundraiser.

Following the performance, guests were treated to the very first guided tour of the newly renovated museum, offering an exclusive look at the extensive construction and restoration work completed as part of the redevelopment project.

Building on the success of the concert, Ipswich Museum hosted a week-long programme of Behind-the-Scenes tours between 10 and 17 May.

The tours offered visitors a rare opportunity to explore parts of the museum normally closed to the public. Highlights included:

The tours proved hugely popular, with 1,080 visitors welcomed back to Ipswich Museum during the first week alone. Together, participants raised more than £8,700 for the redevelopment fundraiser.

Due to overwhelming public interest, a second programme of tours was held in July, attracting a further 500 visitors.

Over recent months, the museum has also hosted tours for a variety of community groups, helping residents reconnect with this much-loved local landmark and build excitement for the museum’s reopening in 2027.

In total, the museum team delivered more than 130 tours, welcoming nearly 2,000 visitors and raising an impressive £14,537 in support of the Ipswich Museum redevelopment fundraiser.

The success of these events would not have been possible without the commitment and enthusiasm of our wonderful tour guides: Carrie, Tim, Peter, Ashley, Michael, Caleb and Rose.

We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to Trianon Music Group, conductor Ian McCrae and Ipswich Museum Manager Alison Hall for helping to make these events such a memorable success.

The excitement and support shown by visitors demonstrates just how important Ipswich Museum is to the local community. We look forward to welcoming everyone back when the fully redeveloped museum reopens in 2027.