The Worcester Art Museum has received a state grant for a major improvement project.

The museum's "Lancaster Plaza Project" is getting $200,000, the maximum amount of money allowed through a competitive state program that provides grants to non-profits, cultural municipalities, or facilities focused on the arts, humanities, and sciences.

The project will address the museum's damaged and deteriorated stairs, and lack of accessibility through the Lancaster Street entrance.

"You need to make public places like museums accessible for everyone. And that is not only for people with disabilities, it is also for mothers or fathers with strollers, it is for people who choose not to take stairs anymore,” said Museum Director Matthias Waschek. “As soon as we can, those works will start. They went interrupted, of course, by the lockdown."

The museum plans to open under Phase 3 of Massachusetts' reopening plan. Right now, there's no set completion date for the project due to coronavirus shutdowns and delays.