Rugby League Museum plans announced
One of the world’s leading museum professionals has been commissioned to lead a study into plans for a permanent home for a National Rugby League Museum.
Dr Kevin Moore, the director of the National Football Museum, is leading a group that will look into location and funding options for a home for Rugby League’s rich collection of heritage and archive material.
The project has been commissioned by the sport’s charity, Rugby League Cares with the aim of delivering a world class National Rugby League Museum that preserves and celebrates the sport’s heritage at all levels.
“Rugby League is the only major sport that does not have a dedicated national museum and this project will hopefully address that,” Chris Rostron, Rugby League Cares General Manager, said.
“We are delighted that Kevin has accepted our invitation to lead the feasibility study: his experience and expertise will be invaluable.
“One of the pillars of Rugby League Cares is our heritage because as a sport it’s something we are massively proud of.
“We have been working on this project since last summer, when thousands of people across the country helped rugby league celebrate its 120-year anniversary. The proposed National Rugby League museum allows us to build on the interest in, and passion for history that is shared by so many people.”
Dr Kevin Moore has already expressed his desire at wanting to produce a top quality museum that can live up to and exceed other sporting museums.
“It is clear that there is a game-wide passion for Rugby League’s heritage and a national museum will bring to life the characters and events that have helped shape this great sport over the last 120 years and before,” he said.
“We are looking at developing a high quality museum that eclipses all other sports museums in the world, a facility that is immersive, interactive and educational and which contributes to the strategic objectives of the game.”
The goal is for the museum to be opened in four years time in 2020, and although the location has yet to be announced, it is due to be confirmed later in the year when work will commence to source funding for the project.