Ed Sheeran exhibition boosts Ipswich museum visitor numbers

An exhibition about singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has helped a museum service enjoy a record-breaking year.

Christchurch Mansion in Ipswich, which staged the exhibition, attracted 80,813 visitors in 2019-20, compared to 61,282 visitors in 2018-19.

The displays were curated by the flame-haired songsmith's father John, and opened in the week leading up to Sheeran's homecoming gigs last August.

The mansion is closed at present due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

The Sheeran exhibition included works by the portrait artist Colin Davidson and documentary photographer Mark Surridge, who toured with the Framlingham-based superstar.

Overall, the Colchester and Ipswich Museums Service, which runs the mansion, welcomed about 300,000 visitors from April 2019 - nearly 45,000 up on 2018-19, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

An exhibition based on the Marvel Comics' creation Black Panther that was due to open next month has been delayed because of the Covid-19 uncertainty, but it is hoped it can be rearranged.

Ipswich Borough Council's portfolio holder for museums, Carole Jones, said: "Our museum staff have done a fantastic job and we are really proud of how well it has gone."

The museums service is revising its business plan for the year to focus on safe reopening with social distancing, and providing virtual exhibitions where possible.