Redbridge Museum is set for a major transformation thanks to a £99,990 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The award will enable the museum, based in Redbridge Central Library in Clements Road, to revamp its much-loved permanent exhibition dedicated to celebrating local history.

From Ice Age Ilford to suburban Wanstead and Woodford, from historical links with the wider world to the cultural diversity of today's communities, the new showpiece displays will reveal 200,000 years of Redbridge history.

Under the proposed new offering, visitors will be able to access a greater range of historic objects as well as even more family-friendly interactive displays.

It will also provide a pathway for visitors to take their interest in local history further and explore the archives of the adjacent Redbridge Heritage Centre.

The grant, which was won by Vision RCL which manages the museum for the council, is in conjunction with a further £60k from other sources to support the project.

The project will involve the community every step of the way, including consultation and co-curation, and will be the platform for creating a permanent museum exhibition which is "strongly rooted in its diverse local community".

Leader of Redbridge Council, Councillor Jas Athwal, said: "I'm delighted that Vision has secured this funding and support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

"These plans will ensure Redbridge Museum continues to be a source of civic pride for local residents, an educational resource for local schools, a space for informal learning by a wide range of community groups and a place of wonder and enjoyment for local families and visitors. I look forward to seeing the developments."

Stuart Hobley, area director for London and south from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: "We're delighted to support Redbridge Museum to work with local people to research and better celebrate the area's heritage.

"Thanks to National Lottery players, new permanent displays will explore everything from Ice Age Ilford to Redbridge's links to the East India Company, to more recent stories of its diverse local community."

A public consultation will begin this summer and the museum is scheduled to close in autumn 2020 and reopen in spring 2021.