- New accessible co-working and creative space adjacent to the museum’s collections stores, library and research centre
- £39,900 from the DCMS/Wolfson Museums & Galleries Improvement Fund
- Opening in early 2027
The Thackray Museum of Medicine is delighted to announce that it has been awarded £39,900 from the DCMS/Wolfson Museums & Galleries Improvement Fund to support the development of its ambitious new Collections CoLab, set to open in 2027.
The Collections CoLab will be a pioneering, fully accessible co-working and creative engagement space located adjacent to the museum’s collections stores, library and research centre. Designed to catalyse collaboration and co-creation, the space will enable partners, community groups, researchers, artists and staff to work together in new ways to unlock the stories held within the museum’s 80,000-object collection.
The project forms a central pillar of the museum’s long-term ambition to democratise its collection – bringing untold stories to light, amplifying underrepresented voices, and making its resources more accessible to wider audiences.
The Collections CoLab will feature three distinct areas:
- CoCreate – An interactive, flexible environment equipped to support workshops, idea generation and collaborative exploration of complex themes and questions.
- CoMeet – A welcoming, informal discussion space for up to eight people, designed to foster open, comfortable dialogue and debate.
- CoWork – An area to accommodate individuals working in residence or on short-term projects connected to the collection.
Accessibility is at the heart of the project. The space will include inclusive approach and remove key barriers to an area of the museum that currently limit participation for staff, partners and visitors.
The Collections CoLab represents a major step forward in the Thackray Museum of Medicine’s mission to ‘help create a better tomorrow’. By opening its collections through collaboration, creativity, and inclusive practice, the museum is setting a new standard for how cultural institutions can engage meaningfully with their communities.
Edward Appleyard, Chief Executive says: “I am delighted that we have been able to put our plan for a Collections CoLab into action with the support of the DCMS/Wolfson Museums & Galleries Improvement Fund. We have, for several years now, put democratisation and our community at the top of our priority list; being able to catalyse this work with a new creative co-working space adjacent to ou stores, library and research space – kindly supported by the Thackray Medical Research Trust – will help us further build a relevant collection reflective of the people around us, and further uncover untold stories of medicine, healthcare, wellbeing and society.”
Jamie Taylor, Director of Collections, Learning and Programming says: “The Thackray is a place where we do things together. Whether it’s working with our local community to share their untold stories or working with our NHS friends to help inspire the next generation of change-makers, we wouldn’t be who we are as a museum without local people’s passion and participation. That’s why we’re absolutely thrilled that the DCMS/Wolfson Museum & Galleries Improvement Fund have kindly supported our new CoLab space. For the first time, we’ll have a dedicated creative space for making connections with people we work with. Situated just across the hall from our new research space, the CoLab will also be a bridge between our collection and community, getting even more people involved in democratising the stories we tell through our objects.”
The Collections CoLab space is due to open in early 2027.
About DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund
The DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund provides capital funding for museums and galleries across England to improve displays, protect collections and make exhibitions more accessible to visitors. For 2025-27, DCMS and the Wolfson Foundation have each contributed £2 million to the Fund, which has benefitted over 440 projects in its more than 20-year history.