Hastings Museum and Art Gallery

About the museum

Hastings Museum and Art Gallery is the borough museum of Hastings. Its collection began in the late nineteenth century, with local history gathered from 1892, and it was kept in several buildings before it found its present home. John’s Place was built in 1923 for Mrs Francis Octavia Kidd, who named the large house after her son, who had died. She moved in during 1924 but offered it for sale in 1927, just when the museum was looking for new premises. The council bought it for £7,500 and the museum opened there in 1928.

Between 1930 and 1932 a new exhibition gallery and the Durbar Hall were added. The hall was a gift to the town from Lord Brassey and took two years to rebuild. The most recent major refurbishment was in 2007.

The collection now holds more than 90,000 objects. The fine art collection has about 10,000 works, and the local and social history collection about 14,000 objects. The world cultures collection is unusually strong: it includes a large number of First Nations objects and the material that the Brassey family brought home from voyages on their yacht Sunbeam between 1874 and 1918. Other galleries cover the seaside, ceramics and the Grey Owl story, and the museum also holds archaeology and natural history. It is run by Hastings Borough Council.

Highlights

• Durbar Hall, a gift from Lord Brassey rebuilt in the museum in the early 1930s
• World cultures collection, including First Nations objects and the Brassey family collection from the yacht Sunbeam
• Fine art collection of about 10,000 works
• Local and social history of Hastings, with a Seaside gallery
• Queer History Trail, a free permanent display
• LEGO Education Innovation Studio for school and family learning

Permanent exhibitions

• Queer History Trail – A free permanent display with a map and trail, made with the Queer History Collective, about the history of queer people in Hastings.
• Durbar Hall – The hall given to the town by Lord Brassey and rebuilt in the museum in the early 1930s, used for displays and events.

Founded

1892

Operated by

Hastings Borough Council

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry and parking are free. Some events and workshops are ticketed. Workshops for schools outside the borough, language schools and independent schools start at £2 per child, and free visits are offered for schools in the borough.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Access is flat from the car park to the ground floor, and two lifts serve the floors (each 114 cm wide and 145 cm deep, not suitable for mobility scooters). The main entrance has a button-operated automatic door. The 30-step staircase in the Durbar Hall is not step-free, so visitors should use the lifts. There is an accessible toilet with baby changing, portable hearing loops at reception and at the shop till, seating in several galleries, large-print information and magnifying glasses on request. One disabled parking space is outside the entrance, with a drop-off point with a dropped kerb. A sensory map, an access guide with a visual story and a visual story for children can be downloaded, and a British Sign Language interpreter can be arranged for events with a week’s notice. Visitors can ask for a personal emergency evacuation plan in advance. A water bowl for assistance dogs is outside the front door.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities

Workshops and events for early years and school-age children run through the year. A visual story for children is available to download.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Museum shop

There is no café or refreshment service, but visitors may eat in the grounds and the collections garden, and cafés and restaurants are a short walk away in the town centre and on the seafront. The shop sells stationery, toys and games, local history books and work by local makers.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

The Durbar Hall can be hired for corporate events and for filming and photography at an hourly rate; fees are reviewed each year by the council.

Plan your visit