The Stoke-on-Trent City Archives are due to be relocated into the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery thanks to a major investment into the city’s historic records and collections from the city council.
The City Archives, which are part of the joint Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service, are currently housed at City Central Library. They are due to be moved in 2023, to enhance the museum’s offering for visitors and residence.
The archive service is a popular learning resource and knowledge hub for the local community.
The plan will bring together two important historical collections in modern, purpose-built facilities. The museum will create a new reading room in the foyer as part of ongoing plans to invest in and develop the city’s museums.
“The archive service is a much-loved provision that gives visitors access to a wide range of historical records,” said Councillor Lorraine Beardmore, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Public Health at Stoke City Council.
“One of our priorities is to maintain the culture and heritage of Stoke-on-Trent. By relocating the archives to The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, we will be enhancing the offer of the museum as a hub for local history and heritage.”
She added that the museum and the City Central Library are located next to each other, which will “make the move more cost-effective and efficient than moving elsewhere”.