Belford Museum
A small, free, volunteer-run local history museum and resource centre in the village Reading Room, with changing displays and a local archive.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Belford Museum grew out of a summer exhibition held in 2008 in an empty building in the village. The show, with displays about lost houses, memories from local people and period clothes, proved so popular that further exhibitions were held every year, and in 2012 the community was offered a permanent home in part of the village Reading Room.
The Reading Room dates from 1854, when the local squire gave it to the village to encourage good feeling between different groups in the community. It was altered in the 1930s to allow the road to be widened. Belford Community Group won grants to renovate the disused building and turn it into the museum, which was formally opened in October 2012.
The displays change from year to year. Recent topics include the buildings of Belford through the ages and the memories of evacuees who were sent to the village, and there is also a quiz about old kitchen equipment. A resource and library area at the front works as a local archive, with records of births, marriages and deaths for the area that visitors can consult free of charge.
Highlights
- Changing displays on the buildings and people of Belford
- Resource and library area for family and local history research
- Project on the memories of evacuees sent to Belford
- Kitchen equipment quiz
- Free entry in the historic Reading Room
Permanent exhibition
- Belford through the ages – Changing displays about the buildings and people of Belford, with items such as a doctor's bag and medical equipment and a local archive.
- Founded
- 2012
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Entry is free. As the museum is run entirely by volunteers, donations towards running costs are welcome.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum is just off the Market Place in Belford, in the Reading Room on the corner of Market Place and Church Street. what3words: ///ratio.peanut.destined.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum has a small shop section on its website; no cafe, lockers or wifi are mentioned by the museum.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | Documents in the resource area may be consulted free of charge but must not be removed. Copies of documents or transcriptions can be requested by email. A card at the desk can be filled in for research help, and a volunteer will reply. |
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