THE gigantic skeleton of a marine reptile is almost ready to go on display for the first time thanks to £200,000 worth of grants for Oxford's museums.

'Eve' the plesiosaur will be part of an exhibition called Out of the Deep at the Museum of Natural History along with one of her short-necked relatives.

The museum was given £90,000 towards the project by a joint Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Wolfson Foundation grant.

A further £110,000 will allow the Ashmolean Museum to transform two central lower floor galleries to tell the story of how the museum was created.

Museum of Natural History director Professor Paul Smith said: "In displays that will reinvigorate our central court, Out of the Deep will conserve and exhibit two internationally significant fossil marine reptiles.

"We are very grateful to DCMS/Wolfson for this funding.

"The museum is now looking for matched funding to complete the project."

Eve is 165 million years old and was discovered in 2015 by archaeologists from the Oxford Clay Working Group at Must Farm quarry in Cambridgeshire.

She will be displayed along with new artwork and digital content, including a picture of central England 165 million years ago.

The Ashmolean's new exhibition will highlight Elias Ashmole's vision for the museum as a centre of practical research and learning.

The displays will examine how his attitude transformed the Renaissance concept of 'cabinets of curiosities' into the modern museum.

Ashmolean Director Dr Xa Sturgis said: "We are profoundly grateful to the DCMS/Wolfson Fund for this transformative grant.

"It will allow us to tell the story of the founding of the first public museum and why it is called the Ashmolean, what it was opened for in 1683 and why it is in Oxford."

The grants are among a total of £4m handed out by DCMS.

The funding pot is intended to allow museums and galleries to increase access, improve displays and enhance public spaces.

Minister for Digital and Culture Matt Hancock said: "Our museums and galleries are among the best in the world and we should be rightly proud of these institutions.

"We want people to be able to enjoy world-leading culture wherever they live and whatever their background.

"These grants will make an important contribution toward increasing access to their wonderful collections and improving the visitor experience at museums right across the country.

"I applaud Wolfson Foundation's generosity in once again matching the Government's investment pound for pound in this important work."