PLANS to display Torfaen Council's museum collections around the borough have been given a cash boost, thanks to a grant from CyMal.

The council has been awarded a grant of £8,862 the Welsh Museums Council, towards a collections outreach pilot project which it is undertaking in partnership with Torfaen Museum Trust.

The project will run from July 2011. Collections held by the Museum Trust will be researched and objects suitable for display will be chosen.

These will then be displayed at community and heritage locations throughout the borough.

The total cost for the project is £11,816 with £2,000 match funding from Torfaen council and the rest from Torfaen Museum Trust.

The council are currently seeking a suitable consultant to undertake the commission.

This pilot project will include an assessment of the collections held by the Museum Trust including research into the most appropriate local historical themes, the significance of the items and their suitability for outreach.

Potential venues and locations which could display the collections will also be identified. These could include libraries, community centres and other visitor attractions.

The public will be invited to comment on the proposals and give feedback on the exhibition.

Torfaen Museum Trust was established by Torfaen council to care for the boroughs’ historical collections in 1978 and it has been collecting since 1979.

The Museum Trust is ‘Accredited’ under the Museum Libraries and Archive Council Scheme, which assures professional standards in Museums across the UK.

The Museum Trust originally had bases in Blaenavon, Pontypool and Llanyrafon, but has now consolidated in one location in Pontypool.

The collection held, however, relates to the borough as a whole and range from fine art, industrial items, archaeology and domestic and social collections.

For more information about the project contact Claire Dovey-Evans, Museum and Heritage Development Officer, on 01633 648029.