Newark Town Hall Museum and Art Gallery

About the museum

Newark Town Hall stands on the west side of the Market Place. It was designed by John Carr of York and completed in 1776 to replace the old Moot Hall as the seat of the town’s government. The Grade I listed building has a seven-bay stone front with a columned portico, and it still serves as a working town hall for Newark Town Council. The Assembly Room, with its decorated ceiling, was built as a law court and has also been used as a ballroom, concert hall and meeting place.

The building was restored between 1989 and 1991, and the work earned a Europa Nostra Diploma of Merit in 1993. In 1999 the Town Council opened a museum inside the building so that the public could see its civic treasures every day. Rooms on the first floor show the Council Chamber, the Mayor’s Parlour and the Assembly Room.

The collection includes the mayor’s chain of office, two silver-gilt maces from the late seventeenth century, a loving cup given to the town in 1687, and siege pieces, the emergency coins made during the last years of the English Civil War. A Fine Art Gallery and a Civic Gallery on the upper floor show local art, and the Spotlight Gallery hosts exhibitions by local artists and community groups. The museum is run with the help of volunteers and the Friends of Newark Town Hall Museum.

Highlights

• Georgian Assembly Room restored in 1990
• Council Chamber and Mayor’s Parlour
• Civic plate, maces and the 1687 loving cup
• Civil War siege pieces
• Fine Art Gallery, Civic Gallery and Spotlight Gallery

Permanent exhibitions

• Town Hall rooms and civic treasures – The Assembly Room, Council Chamber and Mayor’s Parlour on the first floor, with civic plate, maces and Civil War siege pieces.
• Fine Art Gallery and Civic Gallery – Galleries on the upper floor showing the town’s art collection, including works by local artists or depicting local scenes.

Founded

1999

Operated by

Newark Town Council

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission for everyone; donations towards the upkeep of the museum are welcome.

Accessibility

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

The museum has disabled access and a lift to the upper floors; level access to the lift is via Chain Lane and the side entrance to the Buttermarket. Assistance dogs are welcome. The guided behind-the-scenes tours use several Georgian staircases with tight curves and are not accessible for wheelchair users.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

The museum describes itself as family-friendly, with quizzes and trails, interactive touchscreens and a dressing-up box with miniature mayoral robes. Volunteers support family learning, and the town hall holds occasional open cells events.

Getting there & parking

The Town Hall stands on the west side of the Market Place in the centre of Newark-on-Trent.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

Rooms in the working town hall can be hired for events, meetings and celebrations; the museum may then be partly closed.

Plan your visit