Hastings History Revived! At Hastings Museum & Art Gallery On 28th July, Hastings Museum and Art Gallery reopened its doors to the public after a £1 million, year-long refurbishment project. The modernised interior with improved accessibility will give even more visitors the chance appreciate the scope of Hastings’ rich heritage. Kevin Boorman from Hastings Borough Council tells us about the new displays and the history they uncover... Time is of the essence as the final touches are carried out at Hastings Museum and Art Gallery - once this magazine is in your hands, its door will again be open to the public. Those last minute tweaks to displays, cleaning and polishing are all that’s left to do at this unique attraction tucked away in Johns Place, off Bohemia Road. The Museum and Art Gallery, or HMAG as it’s commonly referred to, has been closed for more than a year as refurbishment work to the tune of one million pounds was carried out. Hastings Borough Council has contributed around £253,000 to the scheme, with the rest of the money coming from external sources, such as Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Regional Development Interreg Fund. But what’s changed? Well, visitors will notice the difference as soon as they step through the entrance. Gone is the gloomy reception, which has been replaced by an airy, contemporary and welcoming café and foyer area. The museum is situated in an imposing Victorian building, of which the Durbar Hall is the highlight. This building was reconstituted from the Great Indian and Colonial Exhibition of 1886, which was held in Kensington. The hall was part of an Indian Palace and contains displays relating to the Indian subcontinent. It also documents the lives of its once-owners the Brassey family, displaying artefacts collected on voyages around the world in the 19th century. In the redevelopment of the museum, displays have been shifted around, but perhaps the most striking addition is the two-storey extension, with its eye-catching windows and accessible lift. This added extra has been designed to fit in sympathetically with the rest of the building, with its modern but familiar brickwork style. The HMAG of old may not have been the most convenient building when it came down to issues such as wheelchair accessibility, but the new lift means the museum is now as it should be: a place for everyone to enjoy. As for the displays themselves, here is a preview of what you can expect to see: Mods and Rockers Whether you were a Lambretta-riding Mod or a leather-clad Rocker, this exhibition is bound to stir some memories. If you don’t go that far back, see first-hand some Mod memorabilia, including a genuine Lambretta and images from the era. John Logie Baird - your living room wouldn’t be the same without him, and neither would our new-look Hastings Museum, so John Logie Baird has earned a dedicated room. There’s new replica equipment to view, including the apparatus Baird used to transmit his first grainy TV images. Grey Owl Fraudster or leading conservationist? (or maybe a bit of both). Hastings’ very own Archibald ‘Grey Owl’ Belaney has a display dedicated to his impressive work in the field of wildlife. Artefacts from his travels and life posing as a Native American are all lovingly presented here at HMAG. Besides these fascinating displays we still have the ornately carved Durbar Hall, a unique place to hold a wedding or civil partnership, along with our Council Chamber at the Town Hall. The final word goes to the Old Town Museum in the High Street, which has remained open throughout HMAG’s improvements, offering some great exhibitions of its own. Make sure you take time to visit these great buildings, learn a bit of history and chat to our knowledgeable staff.
Hastings Museum and Art Gallery John’s Place Bohemia Road Hastings TN34 1ET For more information on collections and opening times call 0845 274 1052 or visit www.hmag.org.uk

Hastings History Revived!

At Hastings Museum & Art Gallery

On 28th July, Hastings Museum and Art Gallery reopened its doors to the public after a £1 million, year-long refurbishment project. The modernised interior with improved accessibility will give even more visitors the chance appreciate the scope of Hastings’ rich heritage. Kevin Boorman from Hastings Borough Council tells us about the new displays and the history they uncover...

Time is of the essence as the final touches are carried out at Hastings Museum and Art Gallery - once this magazine is in your hands, its door will again be open to the public. Those last minute tweaks to displays, cleaning and polishing are all that’s left to do at this unique attraction tucked away in Johns Place, off Bohemia Road.

The Museum and Art Gallery, or HMAG as it’s commonly referred to, has been closed for more than a year as refurbishment work to the tune of one million pounds was carried out. Hastings Borough Council has contributed around £253,000 to the scheme, with the rest of the money coming from external sources, such as Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Regional Development Interreg Fund. But what’s changed? Well, visitors will notice the difference as soon as they step through the entrance. Gone is the gloomy reception, which has been replaced by an airy, contemporary and welcoming café and foyer area.

The museum is situated in an imposing Victorian building, of which the Durbar Hall is the highlight. This building was reconstituted from the Great Indian and Colonial Exhibition of 1886, which was held in Kensington. The hall was part of an Indian Palace and contains displays relating to the Indian subcontinent. It also documents the lives of its once-owners the Brassey family, displaying artefacts collected on voyages around the world in the 19th century.

In the redevelopment of the museum, displays have been shifted around, but perhaps the most striking addition is the two-storey extension, with its eye-catching windows and accessible lift. This added extra has been designed to fit in sympathetically with the rest of the building, with its modern but familiar brickwork style. The HMAG of old may not have been the most convenient building when it came down to issues such as wheelchair accessibility, but the new lift means the museum is now as it should be: a place for everyone to enjoy.

As for the displays themselves, here is a preview of what you can expect to see:

Mods and Rockers Whether you were a Lambretta-riding Mod or a leather-clad Rocker, this exhibition is bound to stir some memories. If you don’t go that far back, see first-hand some Mod memorabilia, including a genuine Lambretta and images from the era.

John Logie Baird - your living room wouldn’t be the same without him, and neither would our new-look Hastings Museum, so John Logie Baird has earned a dedicated room. There’s new replica equipment to view, including the apparatus Baird used to transmit his first grainy TV images.

Grey Owl Fraudster or leading conservationist? (or maybe a bit of both). Hastings’ very own Archibald ‘Grey Owl’ Belaney has a display dedicated to his impressive work in the field of wildlife. Artefacts from his travels and life posing as a Native American are all lovingly presented here at HMAG.

Besides these fascinating displays we still have the ornately carved Durbar Hall, a unique place to hold a wedding or civil partnership, along with our Council Chamber at the Town Hall. The final word goes to the Old Town Museum in the High Street, which has remained open throughout HMAG’s improvements, offering some great exhibitions of its own. Make sure you take time to visit these great buildings, learn a bit of history and chat to our knowledgeable staff.

HMAG displays

Hastings Museum and Art Gallery
John’s Place
Bohemia Road
Hastings TN34 1ET

For more information on
collections and opening times
call 0845 274 1052
or visit www.hmag.org.uk