Heritage Grants
Alexandra Palace first opened in 1872. Both the building and its 196-acre park are Grade II listed, but the palace urgently needed restoration and repairs.
It was the home of British television from 1936 until 1981, but the iconic BBC Studios had fallen into disrepair. BBC Studio A was revived as a new visitor experience, telling the story of the early days of television, while Studio B was refurbished as a learning and interpretation centre.
The Victorian Theatre, nearly derelict and inaccessible to the public, had its interiors restored, the floor levelled and improvements made to allow the public to view the Victorian stage machinery under the theatre.
The glazed Victorian East Court was revived as a grand entrance and meeting point once again, including interpretative displays to tell the story of Alexandra Palace.
Digitising collections
The project also included opening up public access to archives through creating a workspace to digitise collections, a secure store for objects and archives as well as online content.
Finally, a learning and community engagement programme reached out to new and existing audiences, including tours, films, displays, resources, holiday activities and extensive work with volunteers.