Next stage for theatrical museum

Blackpool's Grand is the National Theatre of Variety

Proposals to build a new National Museum for the Performing Arts in Blackpool have moved a step closer.

A feasibility study will be carried out to look at moving the national theatrical collections to the resort.

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) closed its Theatre Museum in Covent Garden earlier this year.

Blackpool Council said the museum would be "a partnership between one of the world's greatest museums and the UK's capital of fun".

The council has been working with the V&A on the plans for about 18 months.

History reflected

The building would provide temporary and permanent exhibitions, as well as a performance space.

The study will look at different sites, potential partners, collections for the museum and plans for how the building will look.

Councillor Tony Williams, from Blackpool Council, said the museum would be a "joyful and exuberant learning experience for visitors".

The new building, if it goes ahead, would also reflect Blackpool's theatre history with archive material from the Pleasure Beach, the Tower Circus and the Grand Theatre - Equity's National Theatre of Variety.

The V&A's collections include toys, musical instruments, costumes, scripts, puppets, posters, photographs and programmes.

Mark Jones, director of the V&A said it was "committed to working with Blackpool on exploring this possibility and we await the results of the feasibility study with interest."