A £1.8m National Lottery grant has seen the historic building restored and displays improved to enable people of all ages to get up close and interactive with their heritage.

[quote= Robyn Llewellyn, Head of HLF East of England]“The reopening of Wardown Museum is exciting news for Luton’s heritage and for National Lottery players who have made this possible.”[/quote]

Karen Perkins, Director of Arts and Museums at Luton Culture, said: “This project has been a real labour of love for everyone involved, from the project management team, our curators, Museum Makers volunteers, the builders, and all the other teams. They have all contributed to the transformation of this building into a beautiful museum and public space that everyone can be proud of.”

Story of Luton

Originally designed in 1872 as a private residence for Frank Scargill, a local solicitor, the house was bought by two local councillors in 1903 who opened up the grounds as a public park. The house was used as a military hospital during the First World War before becoming a museum in 1931.

The project, led by Luton Culture and Luton Borough Council, enables visitors to step back in time through Luton’s history and glimpse an insight into a wealthy family home during the Victorian period. The scheme will also collect and share stories from Luton’s community.

Highlights include:

• Virtual trails and interactive billiards table
• Revamped displays including musical instruments and information about the Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment Gallery
• A new café overlooking the historic gardens

Robyn Llewellyn, Head of HLF East of England, said: “The reopening of Wardown Museum is exciting news for Luton’s heritage and for National Lottery players who have made this possible. We’re delighted that people of all ages and backgrounds will have new opportunities to discover Luton’s journey to becoming the diverse and cultural community it is today.”

Get involved

The museum is now open. To find out more, or to support the fundraising campaign, visit the Luton Culture website.

Karen Perkins added: “The Latin inscription on the side of the house translates as 'Spacious House Receiving Friend's and it really sums up what we feel about the new museum.”