Future looks bright for museum after £4.5m revamp

By Rob Kelly

02 Jun 2025

Tullie House

An award-winning museum in Cumbria has fully reopened after a £4.5million revamp – with architecture, design and masterplanning practice FWP playing a major part in delivering the project.

Visitors to Tullie in Carlisle now have full access to a new exhibition space dedicated to the city’s diverse and rich history.

The entrance to the museum has also been developed and there is a cafe, shop and events space as part of the programme to enhance the venue’s visitor experience.

The work, which began in 2023, was carried out in stages and FWP acted as project manager for phase two, which included the sensitive restoration of Tullie’s historic gatehouse building. The FWP team was also involved in the successful National Lottery Heritage Fund bid for phase three of the project.

The restoration of Tullie’s Grade I listed gatehouse, made possible with funding from Historic England, has allowed its removal from the Heritage at Risk register.

Funding for the museum’s revamp came from the government's Town Fund and Future High Streets Fund, Arts Council England and Cumberland Council.

The 130-year-old museum has been a centre for learning since 1893 when it was opened as the city’s ‘Public Library, Museum and School of Art’.

It is the second major heritage project that FWP has been involved with in Carlisle in recent years.

It acted as project manager and quantity surveyor on the award-winning transformation of the medieval Fratry at Carlisle Cathedral – another complex project on a sensitive site. The development, which included essential conservation work, has brought that building back to life.

Sarah Ward, project manager at Preston headquartered FWP, said: “Tullie is a unique building and is a special place for the people of Carlisle.

“The museum team had a clear vision to create an innovative, welcoming and sustainable cultural hub that represents local communities. We are pleased we were able to play our part in helping turn that vision into reality.

“Parts of the project, including the restoration of the gatehouse building, with its iconic clocktower, did prove challenging but the results are there for all to see. The transformation of the museum is tremendous.”

FWP, which also has offices in Manchester and London, has built a reputation for its work on sensitive heritage projects.

Its specialist team worked on the delivery of Rochdale Town Hall’s spectacular £20m restoration, acting as quantity surveyor and cost manager on the project to breathe new life into the Grade I listed building.

FWP has extensive experience in project and cost management across a wide range of sectors.  Over more than six decades, the firm has played an important role in delivering iconic developments across the UK.

It is currently working on the conversion of a former magistrates court building in the centre of Preston, using all its design experience working on historic and sensitive sites to turn Amounderness House into a modern and flexible workspace hub.

FWP has also helped successfully deliver a number of National Trust and National Lottery Heritage Funded-supported conservation, restoration and regeneration programmes over the last five years.

Its portfolio also includes the restoration of Rivington Terraced Gardens on the edge of the West Pennine Moors and work on the Walton Hall Estate, near Warrington, which included returning its spectacular glasshouses to their former glory.

FWP led on the challenging restoration of the Victorian market canopies in the heart of its home city of Preston. The much-loved listed structures underwent extensive refurbishment as part of the regeneration work taking place in the city’ historic Harris Quarter.

For further information on FWP and its portfolio, visit: www.fwpgroup.co.uk

Enjoyed this? Read more from Rob Kelly

Latest news

1

Employer event to help keep region’s workers healthy Ben Harrison

Employer event to help keep region’s workers healthy

19 Jun 2025

2

Plan to get Lancashire working Lancashire Combined Authority

Plan to get Lancashire working

19 Jun 2025

3

Napthens confirms expansion into Manchester Stephen Faulkner

Napthens confirms expansion into Manchester

18 Jun 2025

4

Counting the cost of work-related illness David Dunwell and Jen Briggs

Counting the cost of work-related illness

17 Jun 2025

5

Where there's a Will there's a way to protect your legacy Olivia Holt

Where there's a Will there's a way to protect your legacy

17 Jun 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV123 July/August Launch Event
Lancashire Business View magazine launch
Networking
16 Jul 2025

LBV123 July/August Launch Event

Burnley

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers
WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion copy.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
02 Apr 2025 - 08 Oct 2025

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:00 - 15:30

Chamber Business Lunch – June
Chamber Logo1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
20 Jun 2025 - 20 Jun 2025

Chamber Business Lunch – June

Lancaster House Hotel, Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4GL

11:00 - 13:30

90 day Business Planning Workshop
LBV Event Header.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
20 Jun 2025 - 20 Jun 2025

90 day Business Planning Workshop

Bolton Arena, Arena Approach, Horwich, BL6 6LB

09:00 - 16:30

Moonlight and Memories Walk 2025
MMW.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Fundraisers
21 Jun 2025 - 21 Jun 2025

Moonlight and Memories Walk 2025

St Catherine's Hospice, Preston, PR5 5XU

18:00 - 23:00

Emergency First Aid at Work – June 2025
Chamber Logo1.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
23 Jun 2025 - 23 Jun 2025

Emergency First Aid at Work – June 2025

FGH Training 3rd Floor, Storey House, White Cross Business Park,, Lancaster, LA1 4XQ

09:00 - 16:00

Business Bike Club – July
Chamber Logo1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
01 Jul 2025 - 01 Jul 2025

Business Bike Club – July

Various, Lancaster, LA

08:00 - 09:30

Chamber Breakfast Networking – July
Chamber Logo1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
02 Jul 2025 - 02 Jul 2025

Chamber Breakfast Networking – July

St John's Hospice, Slyne Road, Lancaster, LA2 6ST

08:00 - 10:00

The Marketing Metrics that Matter – July 4
LBV Hub Seminars
04 Jul 2025 - 04 Jul 2025

The Marketing Metrics that Matter – July 4

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Burnley, BB11 1JG

08:30 - 11:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin