BRIDPORT Museum is Dorset’s first museum to use crowdfunding to raise awareness and funds for its redevelopment project.

It’s crowdfunding campaign is due to launch next Wednesday – in a ‘all or nothing’ bid to raise £20,000.

Bridport Museum Curator Emily Hicks said: “Crowdfunding is a great way to get people and businesses working together to support initiatives that sit at the very heart of their community. We are extremely excited about this project- crowdfunding is a great way for local people to help secure the future heritage of their town.”

The team at Bridport Museum needs to raise £20,000 in six weeks from June 1.

The museum was awarded £841,000 in March this year from the Heritage Lottery Fund, but the team still has around £70,000 to raise to complete the £1.3 million project.

Geraghty, managing director of Crowdfunder.co.uk, said: “Crowdfunding is the cutting edge of fund raising. Bridport Museum is running a rewards based ‘all or nothing’ campaign- which means if it doesn’t raise the full £20,000, it will not receive any money from their pledgers.

“As the UK’s biggest crowdfunding site with an office in Bridport, we are proud to be their online platform and championing this great community project.”

Rewards-based crowdfunding enables people to get their project off the ground, by ‘rewarding’ people who pledge money with unique items or experiences. Bridport Museum has obtained a number of unusual and impressive rewards from volunteers and local businesses.

The Bridport Museum redevelopment project, which is the culmination of more than three years’ research and development, will include urgent repair and restoration work, plus complete modernisation of the museum’s galleries.

Emily added: “The easiest way to keep up to date with our progress is to either like our Facebook or follow us on Twitter @bridportmuseum.”