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Dorman Museum is set to close at 16:00 GMT on Christmas Eve for several months so that key repairs and refurbishments can be carried out.

Works include the refurbishment of the museum’s passenger lift and the upgrade of the building’s internal staircase to improve accessibility.

Middlesbrough Museums manager JR Bowes said that the work would “future proof” the attraction.

The repairs are being funded by a £310,000 grant from the Arts Council's Museum Estate and Development Fund.

Jane Tarr, director north of Arts Council England, said: “This award will allow both the local community and visitors of all ages to continue to enjoy the great collections the museum houses in a more accessible and welcoming environment.”

The museum is expected to be closed until spring 2024, but no exact date for the attraction's reopening has been confirmed yet.

Teesside Archives, which is housed inside Dorman House, will also be closed for this period.

But Dressers Tea Room, which is located just inside the museum, will continue to run as normal.

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