A MUSEUM officer is hoping an American adventure will inspire his work.

Simon Skelling, an education and outreach offer with Kirklees Museums and Galleries, is jetting off to Boston to find out more about the city’s history.

He hopes his experiences during the seven-week trip will help boost his work when he returns home.

Simon was awarded over £5,000 funding from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust to go on the study visit after successfully demonstrating the project’s benefits to the UK.

He will spend time at the Boston National Historic Park, which encompasses eight sites showcasing the city’s role in the American Revolution.

These include Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown, the site of the first major battle of the American Revolution, and Dorchester Heights which is significant for its role in the evacuation of the British from Boston during the Revolutionary War.

The 43-acre park was designated a national park in 1974 and most of its sites are located in downtown Boston.

Simon, organiser of Huddersfield’s annual charity Zombie Slouch, is embarking on his trip in September during one of America’s holiday periods.

He said: “I hope to gain knowledge and information that will benefit the museums service here in Kirklees which faces a similar challenge of how to engage communities with their heritage.

“I want to be able to speak to the visitors of the historic sites to get their views so it will be best to go during one of their busy periods.

“In the 1950s America led the way in heritage education.

“The techniques they developed are still a key part of the training for museum professionals in British universities.”

Simon will also be writing a blog about his trip.

The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust was established in 1965 on Churchill’s death as a living memorial to him.

It gives people living in the UK the chance to travel to make a difference to both themselves and the country.

Each year it funds 100 people on overseas projects that are related to their profession, craft or personal interest.

Richard Butterfield, manager of Kirklees Museums and Galleries, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for Simon to see the work of the National Parks Service.

“They are leaders in the field and having first hand experience of their work will enable Simon to apply the benefits of their approach to history back in Kirklees”.