Roots of Norfolk in Gressenhall is run by Norfolk Museums

Most of it will go to the four key organisations: Norfolk Museums, The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, Colchester Museums and Luton Museums

The funding is part of a �100m package which aims to unlock the potential of England's regional museums.

The announcement was made on Monday and was welcomed by the museums.

Announcing the funding, Mark Wood, chair of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) which manages the Renaissance scheme, said: "England has some of the finest regional museums in the world, and the East of England includes some outstanding examples.

This additional funding will go a long way towards meeting our objectives and bringing in new audiences Vanessa Trevelyan, director of Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service

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

Vanessa Trevelyan, director of Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service, said: "This is fantastic news. We want to improve what we do for existing users and also to reach out to a wider range of people and develop services to meet their needs.

"This additional funding will go a long way towards meeting our objectives and bringing in new audiences.

"It is not enough to completely transform the East of England hub museums, but it's a very welcome step towards that goal."