The Geffrye has secured £12m towards its £15m revamp, which is set to open up previously unexplored parts of the museum of the home.
The National Lottery has pledged £12.3m towards the £18.1m Unlocking the Geffrye project, which will also see a former Victorian pub turned into a café and arts space.
The museum in Kingsland Road, Hoxton, has already raised £4.3m, so only needs a final £1.5m to make its vision a reality.
Sonia Solicari, director of the Geffrye, said “This National Lottery grant is a massive boost and endorsement for the project, for which we are hugely grateful.
“With this crucial funding secure, alongside the £4.3m we have already raised, we can now press ahead with raising the final £1.5m to make our vision a reality.
“With support from trusts and foundations, donors and our visitors we will make the Geffrye a better, even more inspiring place for all.”
After the renovations, 70 per cent of the museum’s buildings will be open to the public - as opposed to 30pc now.
A new entrance will be installed opposite Hoxton Overground Station, and new gallery spaces in the 18th century Grade I-listed almshouses will exhibit artefacts currently held in storage.
A pavilion in the museum’s gardens will be used for educational activities
Councillors on Hackney Council’s planning committee gave the ambitious project the green light last year.
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