What we are achieving

Since its creation five years ago the Hub has made great strides towards improving museum services in the region. Increased capacity within the Hub museums has raised our own standards and enabled the Hub to work in partnership with the sector, promoting change and development to improve services for visitors.

Renaissance has already invested £7.5m in museums in the East of England region with a further £3.709m committed for 2008-09.

A total of £0.510m was ring-fenced to develop a comprehensive service to schools in 2003-6 and a further £1.112m will be invested by 2008.

Visits by school aged children to the East of England Hub museums have increased by 13% from the start of Renaissance up to 2007/08.

Nearly 70% of school visits to East of England Hub museums in 2006/07 were facilitated, the second highest proportion in the country.

Total visits by children (including school visits) to the Hub museums have increased by 215% from the start of Renaissance up to 2007/08.

The total number of visits to Hub museums rose by 22% since Renaissance began in 2003.

First time visitors numbers increased form 40% to 44% (national figure 41%) between 2005/06 and 2006/07.

Outreach activity with 5-16 year olds rose by 296% between 2005/06 and 2006/07 and outreach activity with adults is up by 47% since the programme began.

30 new posts were created during 2004-6 and an additional 54 new posts will be created in 2006-08.

The Hub chose Access as their specialist subject area in the 2004-6 plan. To date the Hub has invested over £400,000 in promoting excellence and innovation in addressing access issues and, in particular, disability access, including £40,000 to promote best practice in other museums within the region. A further £206,000 has continued this work in 2006-8.

Specialist Networks have been established, led by and involving museums and communities across the region, including the Rural Museums Network, the Greater Fens Museum Partnership, Maritime Heritage East and the disability history network.

The Hub has now worked directly with over 40% of the region's registered and accredited museums, some 90 museums in total.

In addition, through its support of the Museum Development Officer Network via the Museum Development Fund, Renaissance has benefited even more museums in the region.