Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, one of the city’s most popular cultural sites, will receive a £500,000 boost from the Wolfson Foundation. "Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens has long been a favourite with generations of families across our city, as well as visitors from further afield. Additional contributions have come from the council itself, Arts Council England’s MEND fund, and The Friends of Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens (FOSUMs). A new community learning centre, The Growing Space, will also be created to complement the community garden adjacent to the Winter Gardens. Nick Malyan, chief executive of Sunderland Culture, said: "The Wolfson Foundation’s generous investment in Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens is testament to the significance of the venue, England’s oldest civic museum outside of London.