The History of Arundel Museum Society and the Museum

Foundation in The Undercroft Arundel Museum Society (AMS) was founded in 1963 by a group of local people. At this time heritage was under threat from new development and was generally undervalued. The Museum Society set out to rescue and conserve as much as possible of Arundel’s past, and aimed to create a town museum with the advice of Sussex historian Roy Armstrong and archaeologist Con Ainsworth. In March 1964, the first museum was established in the old prison cells in the undercroft of the Town Hall. In this evocative but somewhat cramped and damp environment the Museum Society built up displays of the history of Arundel and the surrounding villages. From the beginning, the museum relied totally on volunteer management and stewards. It was a successful small-scale attraction, and one of the first independent local museums in the area, but it had limitations.

The High Street Years

The Museum’s first big opportunity came in 1975 when the former Borough Council Offices at 61 High Street became redundant following the major local government re-organisation. Arun District Council offered the Museum Society the opportunity to take a lease on this Grade 2* listed Georgian building. With huge determination, the Society created a new museum which was opened in 1977. At this time AMS became a Charity (No 273790).

During the 1980s and 1990s, AMS faced new challenges. Standards of curatorial care became more demanding. Techniques of conservation were more complex and scientific. With a new national structure for the management of museums and galleries came the requirement for museums to be registered to show that they conformed to minimum standards of good curatorial practice. Arundel Museum was the first in the area to achieve MLA Registration, a considerable achievement.

The Museum expanded into eight galleries. In 2000, the oral history archive gathered by volunteers was published as a book entitled Arundel Voices. A grant was obtained for a new display on the Port of Arundel, and this was accompanied by a new Town Trail way-marked by ceramic plaques by local potter Josse Davies. In 2004, an art gallery was established to stage exhibitions. A regular programme of town walks, lectures and short courses was offered, and school visits were hosted. In 2005, a new formal MLA requirement, Accreditation, was introduced with more demanding benchmarks and the need for extensive documentation and policies to meet specified formats. Arundel Museum was again one of the first in the area to achieve Accreditation, which it did at the first attempt.

An Uncertain Future

However, from 2000 onwards the Museum had operated under the shadow of an uncertain future. Arun District Council had expressed an intention to sell 61 High Street, and the lease would not be renewed. AMS tried hard to find alternative premises so that a planned move from one building to another might be achieved. Unfortunately this proved impossible. Whilst efforts to develop a new museum carried on in the background, AMS was obliged to leave their premises in the autumn of 2007. Museum Society volunteers, supervised by a consultant curator, undertook the enormous task of packing every item in the collection and transferring these into stores.

Rescue Fortunately, the Angmering Park Estate Trust and the Norfolk Estate came to the rescue at this point. They agreed to jointly offer an ideal site for a new building opposite the lower castle gate, next to the Castle Car Park, in the centre of the main tourist area. AMS and a Development Group of local stakeholders began work to obtain planning consent, which was obtained in March 2009.

The Museum Society started 2010 with some really good news. Its first round bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) had been successful, and this meant that it was awarded a grant of £102,800 to develop its plans. It has now progressed to the second round of the HLF application process, and has until the Autumn of 2010 to submit more detailed development plans and apply for up to £888,000 support for its £1,978,550 project to build and fit out a new museum.

Meanwhile, despite the loss of their home the Museum Society was determined to keep a presence in the town. A portacabin was obtained, sponsored by local firms, and this was opened as The History Store in March 2008. This free display, staffed by volunteers, and open daily, enables items from the collection to be shown in rotation, and maintains a public presence in the town, and a place where plans for the new development can be seen.

Copyright 2010 - Arundel Museum Society