JANE Austen's House museum at Chawton received a 200th anniversary present in the form of a £500,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The money will contribute to a project to mark the bicentenary of Jane Austen's arrival in Chawton in 1809. It was while at Chawton that Miss Austen revised her three early novels, including Pride and Prejudice, and wrote completely her three others, including Emma. This project marks the second stage of development at the museum, the first being the Lottery-funded Reinterpretation of Jane Austen's House in 2005. This time the museum is aiming to fulfil, and hopefully exceed, 21st century visitor expectation. The money will be spent moving all sales out of the house to create a more homely feel, and to reopen the Austens' kitchen. A new learning centre will reform the function of the old granary meeting room which will have the added bonus of some interactive exhibits. Visitor demand for an audio/visual facility will also be realised. The whole will be complemented by a series of events to celebrate the bicentenary.
