The money has come from Arts Council England and funding from the fourth round of the Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND).
Dorset Museum and Art Gallery has secured £940,500 to aid in repairs and improvements to visitor experience.
Claire Dixon, executive director at Dorset Museum and Art Gallery said: “We are hugely grateful to Arts Council England and our funding partners, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Dorset Council, for enabling us to invest in the long-term stability of our buildings.”
“Without this financial support we would have faced closure of the hall and library, which were the original, custom-designed centrepieces of the museum.”
The money has come at a time where the repairs, as of January last year, were branded as needing urgent attention within 24 months.
It was strongly recommended that all required repairs are completed at once to avoid any further damage to the building.
The repairs will ensure a safer and successful visitor experience.
“The more we can offer people to do, the more likely it is that people will want to come to Dorset, whether to live, study or visit.”
Across the south west, more than £4.5 million has been split between four museums including Dorset Museum and Art Gallery and Weymouth’s Nothe Fort.
As previously reported, the Nothe Fort has been granted £1,374,763. The historical fort will use the money to help stop the significant water ingress, thus supporting the fort’s conservation and enabling development of the museum experience for visitors.
The funding is part of the Government’s long-term plan to support local economies and to help them grow.