MANCHESTER Jewish Museum will close in September for a £5 million restoration.

The museum on Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester, has received funding from the National Lottery and private donations.

The grade 2 listed synagogue, that currently houses almost 30,000 items, will be repaired and restored.

Chief Executive Max Dunbar said: “In such troubled times it feels like the right step to develop the museum,”

“The historic stories of Manchester’s Jewish community are also the stories of today.

An artist’s impression of the new museum Credit: Manchester Jewish Museum

“They tell of people forced to flee their homes, who settled in a new country to rebuild their lives.

“I’m delighted that we can now build a better museum and share those stories to more people than ever before.”

A new gallery space will be built almost tripling the size of the museum.

Nathan Lee, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund North West, said: “Manchester Jewish Museum is an extraordinary piece of 19th-century architecture, as well as the city’s oldest synagogue.

“This is one of Manchester’s most important historic buildings and our investment of nearly £3m is set to bring it back to life for a new generation.”

A temporary exhibition will be held in Manchester Central Library with the revamped museum due to open in the summer of 2020.

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