The Friends of Ipswich Museum has been awarded a grant of £150,000 for the redevelopment of the town attraction.

The funds have been allocated by Garfield Weston Foundation to help support Ipswich Borough Council's £8.7m renovation vision.

The project has been partly funded by an award from the National Heritage Lottery Fund and are set to begin later this year.

As part of the proposed multi-million pound works, the museum would be renovated to include an elevator, “slight” modifications to the front entrance, modernised lighting, new toilet facilities and a coffee shop.

Following completion of the works, the museum is scheduled to reopen for the spring of 2025.

Richard Wilson, chair of the Friends group, said: "This grant is an acknowledgment of the museum's excellent redevelopment plans, and of the positive relationship that our charity has with the Colchester and Ipswich Museums Service and with Ipswich Borough Council."

Ipswich Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Museums, Carole Jones, added: "I am very pleased to hear that the friends of Ipswich Museum have won this funding from the Garfield Weston Foundation.

"This will be a great help in our refurbishment of the Ipswich Museum."

Ipswich Borough Council which operates the museum has in the last week offered reassurances after an online petition launched against the proposals.

More than 4,000 people have now given their signatures objecting to changes.

Speaking at the time, a spokesman for Ipswich Borough Council, said: “All of the old favourites will be in the new museum as well as the opportunity to display many more.

Early gallery plans are at this stage purely indicative, and follow a number of phases of consultation including an online survey that had engaged more than 1,000 local participants.

“Although much loved and with high visitor numbers, we want to create a more appealing and exciting museum experience to which people, particularly local Ipswich visitors, will want to keep returning to.”

The Friends of Ipswich Museums is a registered charity which exists to champion the work of the Colchester and Ipswich Museums Service.