AdminOur host for this year’s SEMFed AGM was North Hertfordshire Museum in Hitchin. Having only taken its present form five years ago it made a fitting location for our theme of transformation.
We heard about the trials and triumphs in the long journey to bring the new museum to life, before hearing from nearby Stevenage Museum about their hopes and plans for a new museum of their own.
North Hertfordshire Museum opened in 2019 and brings together collections which were previously housed in Hitchin Museum and Letchworth Museum. In 2004–5 – North Hertfordshire District Council undertook a review of its museum services at Hitchin and Letchworth. It found that local communities greatly valued their museums, but that the buildings were not fit for purpose.
It was decided to bring both collections together in a purpose-built facility in Hitchin, alongside a renovation of the Victorian Town Hall.
North Hertfordshire has four galleries:
- Discovering North Hertfordshire – exploring the history of the district from pre-history to the present day
- Living in North Hertfordshire – social history gallery
- Terrace gallery – this showcases items from the museum’s footballing collections, objects from around the world, items from the museum’s art collections, and animations inspired by local folklore tales
- Temporary exhibitions gallery
In five years they have already hosted a staggering 50 temporary exhibitions.
Thank you to the team for hosting us and to all our speakers.
