ONE of the most famous streets in the country is to be given a revamp - to ensure it remains firmly in the past.

Kirkgate is the recreated Victorian street in the heart of York's Castle Museum and is visited by tens of thousands of people every year.

For decades it has hardly been touched but museum chiefs now plan to spend almost £300,000 on it.

York Museums Trust has been awarded £187,000 from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport towards the work, which will be added to £97,000 of trust funds.

When it was built in 1938, Kirkgate was a groundbreaking display and has since been copied by dozens of museums across the world.

The street was the idea of the founder of the museum, Dr John Kirk, a North Yorkshire doctor who wanted to create a museum of everyday life.

He rescued original historic shop fronts and interiors and reconstructed them in the museum.

The improvements will include opening up the police station, the cells and the bank, so visitors can explore inside.

Period domestic rooms will also be open and the cobbled section will be resurfaced.

There will be more information about the displays, tailored to suit different age groups and tastes, including audio guides and written information.

The director of lifelong learning at the museum, Martin Watts, said: "We hope this project will put York Castle Museum once more at the forefront of museum interpretation, engaging, exciting, inspiring and informing new generations of visitors."

It is expected that the work will start in December and will be completed in August next year. The project may involve the temporary closure of galleries for periods.

Published: 31/07/2004