Chesham Museum

Over het museum

Chesham Museum grew out of the idea of a town museum promoted by the local historian and former mayor Dr Arnold Baines. For many years supporters put on displays in Chesham Library about the town's past industries, such as boot and shoe making, woodworking, brush making, lace making and brewing, along with its nonconformist churches and well-known families.

The museum opened in the former stables of a public house in Bellingdon Road in August 2004 and became a registered charity. In 2009 it moved to 15 Market Square in the town centre. It closed its doors in June 2017 after a change in circumstances, and for several years it kept in touch with the public mainly through its website, online exhibitions, a blog, walks and pop-up displays.

In 2023 the trustees announced a new home in part of the Lowndes Room, upstairs in Chesham Town Hall, rented with the support of Chesham Town Council, and the museum reopened there. Alongside the exhibition space there is a small permanent display in Chesham Library and the Elgiva theatre.

The collection mostly relates to Chesham and nearby villages such as Asheridge, Ashley Green, Ballinger, Bellingdon, Chartridge, Hyde Heath, Latimer, Lee Common and Ley Hill, and gives an insight into the social reform and industry of this part of Buckinghamshire. The museum is run entirely by volunteers and offers learning sessions, loan boxes for schools and community groups, walks and talks.

Hoogtepunten

• Displays on the people and places of Chesham
• Local collection covering industry, housing, health, war and the high street
• Online exhibitions and collection themes
• Family trails and quizzes
• Loan boxes and workshops for schools and community groups

Vaste collectie

• Chesham Museum exhibition space – Objects and stories from the museum's collection about the history of Chesham's people and places, shown in the Town Hall.

Opgericht

2004

Beheerder

Chesham Museum (registered charity)

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.

Toegankelijkheid

• Rolstoeltoegankelijk: geen informatie
• Lift: geen informatie
• Aangepast toilet: geen informatie
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
• Hulphonden welkom: geen informatie
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

The museum publishes a visual story, produced with the National Paralympic Heritage Trust, that shows what to expect on arrival and how to find the way around the museum. The museum asks visitors to suggest improvements.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour

The museum offers family activities such as an Eye Spy trail through historic parts of the town, a track-the-plaque quiz, a sensory trail in Lowndes Park, downloadable walks and Fun At Home activities. Children aged 12 or younger can enter a creative writing challenge.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The museum is in Chesham Town Hall on Parsonage Lane, in the centre of Chesham; the town's clock tower in Market Square is the start of several self-guided walking routes.

Service & horeca

• Museumwinkel

The museum sells local history publications and related items; they can also be ordered from its online shop.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.

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