A wartime museum has aims to be a “world-leading” destination for tourists thanks to a generous National Lottery cheque.

2018 marks 100 years of the Royal Air Force and the RAF museum in Hendon plans to tell its story by making ambitious changes to its site in time for the celebrations.

The museum announced today it has been awarded £4,595,600 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the next phase of its RAF centenary programme.

The first phase of this redevelopment, the ‘First World War in the Air’ exhibition, opened to the public in December 2014, winning Best Heritage Project in the National Lottery Awards 2015.

New for 2018, thanks to the new funding, two exhibitions will explore the first 100 years of the RAF through the stories of its people and invite visitors to imagine its future.

Maggie Appleton, CEO of the Royal Air Force museum, said: “I would like to thank the Heritage Lottery Fund on behalf of all our staff, volunteers and trustees for the generous support they have given us – we could not be happier.

“The story of the RAF is one of bravery, ingenuity and dedication which echoes within all our lives and will endure and enrich future generations.

“We are very excited to be given the opportunity to tell this story through the museum’s collections and the voices of the individual men and women who served in the RAF and whose lives have been influenced by it.”

Other additions will include a new visitor centre with clear orientation, café, shop, members’ room, flexible-use spaces and a new restaurant.

A new learning programme will tutor young people in science, technology, engineering and maths while new apprenticeships and volunteering activities will give young people valuable experience in museum work.