HRH The Duke of Gloucester visits the Museum

Black Country Living Museum recently welcomed its Patron, HRH The Duke of Gloucester, for an exclusive first-look at its latest development before it opens to the public in time for the summer holidays. 

His Royal Highness was given a tour of the Museum’s £30m capital development, which sees the Museum’s storylines taken forward into living memory and the 1940s-60s.

Joined by members of the Museum’s team, the Duke discovered how the Museum is staying relevant to contemporary life and helping to make sense of the world by telling stories from the likes of Laurie Thomas Hairdresser’s, Stanton’s Music Store and a Wolverhampton Infant Welfare Centre.

The Duke also visited the Museum’s impressive new Visitor Centre, which opened in September 2022, allowing the Museum to turn its ‘face’ towards the new Midland Metro extension.

He also toured the Elephant & Castle Public House, a recreation of the iconic and highly decorative building that once stood on the corner of Stafford Street and Cannock Road in Wolverhampton. It had been a centre of social life and the new ethnic diversity seen in the region from the 1960s.

His Royal Highness, who previously visited the Museum in 2009, was joined on his visit by Nick Venning DL, Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands; Andrew Lovett OBE, the Museum’s Chief Executive; and Dr Paul Belford, Chair of the Museum’s Board.

Mr Lovett commented:

“His Royal Highness has been a passionate and knowledgeable supporter of the Museum for at least 43 years, and it was great to have this opportunity to show him how we continue to develop the Museum with new storylines, as well as recovering strongly from COVID-19.  

“In doing so, I was able to let His Royal Highness know how crucial the financial support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England, Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership, West Midlands Combined Authority, UK Government and so many trusts and foundations has been to this development and our continued success.”

Dr Belford said:

“I was pleased to have His Royal Highness express his gratitude to members of staff, volunteers and Trustees for their commitment to the purpose of the Museum, and the terrific impact it has on people’s lives.

“Previously, His Royal Highness has said how he recognises, in the prolonged difficult times that so many of the people of our country face, that our steadfastness and skill are never needed more. I am enormously grateful for His Royal Highness’s support and encouragement.”

The visit had been rearranged from last September, following the death of Her Majesty The Queen.