AN AWARD-winning Dorchester museum’s new director hopes to develop parts of its High West Street site to make more of the collections open to the public.

Jon Murden said future projects might include developing areas of Dorset County Museum currently used for storage.

He said: “Looking forward, we have a decent-sized estate here, larger than people might expect. We’ve got room to grow.

“Now is not the best time to start a project like that but I see it as something long term for the future. We’ve got a lot of items in storage that could be made accessible to visitors by developing what’s here.”

Mr Murden said his first aim is to involve the community in the museum more – something he achieved in his previous post at National Museums Liverpool, a collection of eight museums and galleries on Merseyside.

He said: “I’m keen to have people’s voices in the museum. It’s their museum and if it’s possible to do that we will. I like people to feel ownership of their museum and to see the community get involved.

“I’d like to see a significant growth in visitor numbers and great exhibitions are part of that – they bring people back. As a tourist attraction we need to present really good – blockbuster – exhibitions.”

He added: “I’m very happy with what I’ve inherited here. It’s a brilliant team and by that I include everyone, all the staff and volunteers.

“There are great artists and stories here for visitors. We’ve got some great exhibitions lined up – there’s one on Ladybird Books in the summer holidays that will appeal to all ages. The programme is really excellent.”

The museum attracts around 35,000 visitors a year – a figure that Mr Murden hopes to increase along with membership of its parent Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society.

He also hopes to work more closely with other Dorset museums to support the work they all do. And he hopes to apply his fascination with industrial history, that stems from his father’s passion for steam railways and machinery, at the museum.

Mr Murden takes over from interim director Steve Garland, who held the post temporarily following the departure of Judy Lindsay last August.

And he was in the running for the post last year until an attack of shingles laid him low and ruled him out of the list of candidates. But the person offered the job was then unable to take up the post and Mr Murden jumped at the chance to apply again.

Mr Murden, 34, said he and his wife Liz, who comes from East Devon, wanted to move to the region. He said: “It would have to be the right job – one that’s a challenge and rewarding – and this one is.”