THE charity which runs the Royal Cornwall Museum has appointed five new trustees to its board as the museum continues its comprehensive transformation.

The Royal Institution of Cornwall has sought to bring in a range of fresh perspectives and valuable experience to support the museum through a vital stage in its development.

Steven Webb, former Truro mayor and current city councillor, joins the board of the museum, which has ambitions not only to bring new vibrancy and life to Truro city centre but also to become one of Cornwall’s flagship attractions.

With establishing long-term financial stability a priority, the board has appointed Justin Heugh, a finance director for the Diageo Group, and Kevin Brown, an independent member of the Bank of England RTGS/CHAPS Board and Risk Committee with a background in financial services.

Kira Orchard, a Widening Participation Coordinator with the University of Exeter, has joined the board to assist with enriching and diversifying the museum’s offer and reaching new audiences.

And Karen Bellamy, director of legal and governance at the National Lottery Heritage Fund, will provide valuable legal and fundraising expertise.

The museum’s artistic director, Bryony Robins, said: “Our board has been instrumental in inspiring, enabling, and guiding us as we implement major organisational change. With the new members, the combined skills of the board give us the strongest possible foundation for success.”

The new board members joined officially at the annual general meeting on Monday, November 25, and were welcomed by chair Julie Caplin-Grey, deputy CEO of the Hall for Cornwall.

“This is an incredibly exciting time to be part of the museum as we move through a major transformational phase,” said Julie. “The work we are doing now will ensure the museum’s standing as one of Cornwall’s top cultural institutions and visitor destinations, as well as having a strong commercial model that underpins and sustains it far into the future.”

Following on from the successful reopening of the museum’s mineral gallery, made possible thanks to funding of £476,000 from Truro’s Town Deal Board and Cornwall Council, the next phase of work includes the Heart of Cornwall Gallery, Nature Gallery, the creation of a new art gallery, landscaping, and major works to the roof.

This phase of the project has received £2.3-million from the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is being managed locally by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Programme.

The museum recently announced that it will be closed to the public during January and February 2025 while the most disruptive works are completed. It will take to the road during this time, touring items, workshops and activities to libraries, schools and community groups across Cornwall.

The museum will re-open in early March 2025.