Developing our interpretation of Jane Austen's life and times involves us thinking about what our wide range of visitors - from Austen fans to the "just curious" might want to know.

Our new Heritage Lottery Funding is a major step forward for the House and Museum. It lets us develop the unique atmosphere of the house, but in a way that will allow all ages to learn and understand the importance of Jane Austen and the fast-changing times she lived in. This will be a step by step process as we work through a plan of our own changes that will make the House and Museum even more interesting to visit, but without damaging the intimacy of the house, its sense of scale and the tangible living history that so many comment upon when they come to visit us.

A key part of the project is the development of our new learning centre. It's being built right now at the rear of our garden! The centre is designed to allow us to cater for special events and school parties as well as to provide us with more space for administrative and research/resource offices. We've been squashed in an attic in the stable block for too long!

The project comes to fruition in July 2009 in time to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's arrival in Chawton, where she completed all of her major writing.

You can hear our latest news about progress on the new developments here.

You can also see some of the latest photographs of the building work in progress here.

New education centre in the garden.

See more pictures
of work going on