Christ Church Gate and Visitor Reception Facilities
although the Cathedral welcomes 1 million visitors ever year, the processing facilities and interpretation are very basic and in urgent need of modernisation for aesthetic and practical reasons. An estimated £6m is needed to improve entrance arrangements and visitor processing and to fully conserve the Christ Church Gate.
Specifically this projects aims to:
- Carry out essential conservation work to the Christ Church Gate
- Improve the visitor welcome
- Provide more effective visitor processing
- Enhance the signage and interpretation for all visitors, especially those with special needs
- Maximise income potential
- Provide an appropriate starting/finishing point for the major European pilgrimage routes
Heritage and History
£2m is needed to develop the archives and library departments of the Cathedral. Some of the archival contents date back to the 8th Century and range from medieval charters to modern orders of service. The Library contains manuscripts and printed books on a diversity of subjects from the 15th Century onwards. The Cathedral also holds a collection of artefacts, notably medieval vestments and a 17th Century gentleman's museum of national importance. Some items are in need of specialist conservation treatment along with cataloguing and detailed description work. Currently these collections are accessible to researchers and the aim is to make them available for viewing by a wider audience.
Education and Learning
(Visit Schools' Department)
£3m
is needed to enhance the education and learning facilities here
at the 
Cathedral. The Cathedral’s Education Department is
renowned for its work in all levels of education from the Canterbury
Scholar’s Programme,
which involves Christian leaders from across the world, to school
groups visiting the Cathedral as part of their curriculum studies.
Many of the Scholars on the Canterbury Scholar’s programme
need to be heavily subsidised and there is an urgent need to create
a Scholar’s Endowment Fund.
The Cathedral's Schools Department is renowned for its work providing
both support and programmed activities for 
school groups visiting
the Cathedral as part of their curriculum studies. Around 100,000
school children visit the Cathedral per year. 30,000 are from English
Schools, 70,000 are from overseas schools. All age groups
are offered specialist guided tours focussing on their specific
area of study. In addition, hands-on activities, drama workshops
and special services are arranged for Primary School children.