The museum was founded in 2003 and initially operated as a
virtual museum with no premises of its own. In November 2009, it was announced that the museum would move to premises at Rochester House in
Pembroke Street, following a gift of £2.5m from a private donor. The museum closed for a major £6 million redevelopment on 7 July 2018, with funding including a £1 million grant from the
Heritage Lottery Fund in 2015, and a £2 million grant from
Arts Council England. The renovation was completed in 2020. In 2026, the museum launched
1001 Stories, a free online story collection and learning resource for families, educators and young people, as part of the UK’s National Year of Reading. ==See also==