Beamish Open Air Museum in Durham will share in the windfall

It is part of a �70m government programme called "Renaissance in the Regions."

The aim is to modernise museums, libraries and galleries, and make them more inspirational to the public.

Tyne and Wear Museums led the bidding for the cash in the North East and Newcastle's Laing Gallery will be one of those to benefit.

Others include Hartlepool Museum, the North of England Open Air Museum at Beamish and the Bowes Museum, both in County Durham.

The money will be paid out over the next three years.

Arts Minister, Baroness Blackstone, said: "This is the start of an important period of development for Regional arts.

"We want to see these funds used to deliver high quality services which will attract new visitors to museums and serve better those who already come."

Mark Wood, acting chair of Resource - the Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries, said: "We are delighted that a transformation can now begin to take place in the North East and that museums are already taking steps to appoint staff and allocate resources."

Alec Coles, director of Tyne and Wear Museums, said: "This is excellent news and will provide hundreds of thousands of opportunities for people in the North East to enjoy their culture and heritage."