Today (Tuesday 9 June), Luke Myer MP met Culture Minister Baroness Fiona Twycross to make the case for Teesside’s museums and cultural institutions.

The meeting followed Luke’s recent Parliament speech on museums, where he praised the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum in Marton, and Land of Iron in Skinningrove. In the speech, he committed to

“working with Ministers, with our two councils—Middlesbrough, and Redcar and Cleveland—and with the museums themselves to maintain our heritage and tell our story for years into the future.“

In today’s meeting, Luke highlighted the importance of preserving Teesside’s history while ensuring local museums like Captain Cook and Land of Iron can continue to inspire future generations. Discussions covered opportunities to strengthen links between local museums and major national institutions, support educational engagement with young people, and build on Teesside’s rich heritage of industry, innovation and exploration.

Luke also discussed Middlesbrough’s bid to become UK City of Culture 2029 and the role culture can play in boosting civic pride, bringing communities together and helping tell a confident, positive story about the region’s future.

Luke Myer MP said:

“Teesside has a remarkable story to tell. From Captain Cook’s voyages to our industrial heritage, ours is a region that has helped shape the modern world.

“Our museums do an enormous amount of work preserving that history, educating young people and strengthening pride. I wanted to make sure the Minister heard directly about the opportunities and challenges facing cultural organisations here on Teesside.

“I was pleased to have a constructive discussion about how government, national institutions and local organisations can work together to support culture in our area. I’ll continue working with partners locally to ensure Teesside’s history, heritage and creativity get the recognition they deserve.”