The aim of the funding is to transform museums

The Renaissance project funding is part of a �100m national package.

Manchester City Galleries, Bolton Museum and Art Gallery and the Harris Museum and Art Gallery, in Preston, will receive a share of the funding.

Carlisle's Tullie House Museum and University of Manchester Museums and Galleries will also benefit.

Mark Wood, chairman of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, which manages the scheme, said: "England has some of the finest regional museums in the world and the North West includes some outstanding examples.

"With additional funding they can further increase their appeal and give people access to world class culture, right on their doorstep."

North West Museum Hub director Virginia Tandy said: "This new funding is fantastic news.

"It will help us improve museum collections and displays, attract new visitors and deliver better services to schools throughout the region.

"It is not enough to completely transform the North West's museums - many have suffered years of underfunding and neglect - but it's a very welcome step towards that goal."