HORSHAM DISTRICT MUSEUMS
The history of the Horsham District offers a rich tapestry of stories reaching back 100 million years to the time when a freshwater lake stretched from here to France! Time time to discover for yourself some of the fascinating objects and artefacts that survive to this day and are displayed in a range of excellent local museums across the District.
Horsham Museum
9, The Causeway, Horsham.
RH12 1HE
Tel: (01403) 254959
Email: museum@horsham.gov.uk
Website: http://www.horshammuseum.org
Open: 10am - 5pm Monday to Saturday. Closed Sundays and Bank Holidays.
Horsham Museum is located in the historic tree-lined Causeway and is housed in a beautifully preserved 16th Century merchant's house and walled garden. A selection of services run by the Museum and its team of volunteers are shown below. The Museum also houses Horsham's Tourist Information Centre.
Galleries: With over 25 galleries and 2 gardens the Museum has a wide range of items on display from dinosaur bones to Art Deco chine, mousetraps to a Victorian fire engine.
Exhibitions: Over 16 temporary exhibitions are held each year in four exhibition spaces. We cover photography, costume and arts as well as social and local themes. Details of exhibitions can be found on our website or in our free leaflet.
Specialist Services: Horsham Museum boasts an extensive library resource, where you can browse local history books at your leisure, as well as offering "The Pod" - a computer centre where you can look up individual details on many items within the Museum's collection.
Educational Resources: Are you a teacher looking for extra teaching resources? We offer 19 school loan boxes and freelance teachers who can come to your school with objects and provide that extra buzz to your lessons! There is a small charge for these services. A termly newsletter - 'Mouse' - promoting the latest Museum activities, is sent to educational establishments across the District. Please contact Horsham Museum for a copy if your school has not already received one.
Touching Memories: Loan boxes are available for anyone who works with or cares for an elderly person who may benefit from handling objects from the past. Training sessions on how to use these boxes are available from Horsham Museum as well as 22 different loan boxes, containing items from the 1930's to the 1970's. Ask for a leaflet or newsletter if you need more information.
Oral History: the Museum runs an oral history service, collecting and recording memories for its archives. We can also offer training to local clubs and societies to make more of this service.
Need more information? For further information about Horsham Museum, its Friends organisation, collections, exhibitions programme, educational services and special events, please visit the Museum website.
Other Local Museums:
| Museum | Phone |
|---|---|
| Amberley Working Museum: Set in 36 acres at the foot the South Downs, this museum has many fascinating working exhibits illustrating the rich industrial heritage of South East England. It was used as a film set for the James Bond movie "A View to A Kill" starring Roger Moore. |
(01798) 831370 |
| The Christ's Hospital School Museum Housed on the top floor of the Infirmary, the museum has many artifacts from school life at London, Hertford and Horsham, as well as an original Matron's kitchen from 1902. Christ's Hospital has a complete run of admission books, giving pupils' details from 1563 to present day, as well as many other records detailing life at the School. Viewing by appointment only. |
(01403) 211293 |
| Steyning Museum The Museum tells the story of the Steyning area from pre-history to the present day. There are permanent exhibits as well as temporary displays, so a look around is equally worth while for new or regular visitors. Have a look at our shop and if you want to research something in more detail, we keep a Museum library & archive. Open throughout the year, entry to the Museum is free, including free parking nearby. |
(01903) 813333 |
| Storrington Museum Storrington and District Museum houses a collection of local and social history of Storrington and the surrounding villages, including local archaeology, articles from local churches, domestic history, details of local people and their memorabilia, artefacts of vanished local places, trades and services and articles from the two world wars. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 14:00-16:00, and at other times by appointment. Access to archives collection by appointment only. Free entry. |
(01903) 892210 |
| Henfield Museum A small local history museum, offering a diverse collection from early fossils and flint implements, through the Medieval and Tudor era to the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian periods. Household objects from these times recall Henfield in the past. There are many farm tools on display with a horse-drawn plough together with a mid-Victorian pump outside. Uniforms of the Sussex Rifle Volunteers Regiment take pride of place, as well as an extensive collection of local paintings and photographs. Open Monday to Saturday, 10.00am - 12.00 noon, Wednesday 2.30pm to 4.30pm, Saturday 2.30pm to 4.00pm. Free entry. |
(01273) 492546 |
For further information about Museums, both local and national, look at the 24hourmuseum website.