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For bookings and general enquiries, you can email our us at [email protected] or use the contact form.
If your enquiry is about the museum collection, then please use the collection enquiry form.
If you would like to use an image of an object then please complete an image use form.
You can phone us on 01424 451052 during opening hours.
You can also write to as at:
Hastings Museum & Art Gallery
John’s Place
Bohemia Road
Hastings
TN34 1ET -
We are a local museum with a global collection that inspires people and connects communities. We were founded in 1890 by Hastings & St Leonards Museum Association. In 1905 we were transferred to public ownership. Today we are part of Hastings Borough Council. Our work is overseen by the Museum Committee. Its membership includes local councillors and representatives of Hastings & St Leonards Museum Association. You can find out more about the committee on the council’s Museum Committee webpages.
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Our work can be divided into five areas: collections development, exhibitions, events, learning and projects. The way we tackle these areas is set out in our business plan (PDF 3.5mb). You can find out more about our work below and on throughout the website.
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2022
Finalist: Museums + Heritage Awards Community Engagement Project of the Year for What in the box?
2021
Awarded: Small Visitor Attraction of the Year Bronze Award, The Beautiful South Awards for Excellence by Tourism South East
2020
Finalist: Museum Change Lives Awards Best Lockdown Project for Hastings Digital Museum
2019
Finalist: Family Friendly Museum of the Year Award
Finalist: Best Educational Day Out in the South East, Day Out With The Kids
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Alongside our permanent galleries we have two temporary exhibitions spaces. The Long Gallery on the ground floor is our main space, and there is a smaller area on the the first floor called the Walkway. Both galleries are used for our year-round programme temporary exhibitions.
The Walkway gallery is available to hire for exhibitions. If you would like to know more about hiring the Walkway please contact us and also have a read of our exhibitions strategy (PDF 300kb) You can also complete and email us an Exhibition proposal form (Word 110kb).
We also have a number display cases around the building that we use for smaller displays by local communities and organisations. If you are interested in using them please contact us. You can find out more about our current and future exhibitions on our exhibitions pages.
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We aim to make our events and activities accessible for as many people as possible. If you have any ideas or suggestions for future events or activities, please contact us. You can find out more about what’s happening at the museum on the See and do pages.
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We aim to inspire creativity and life-long learning by using collections to create fun and thought provoking formal and informal learning opportunities. Our approach to learning is underpinned by our learning strategy (PDF 350kb) You can find out more about activities for schools and home education families, including Lego and Arts Award, on our Learn pages.
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We work with a wide range of people and organisations to explore, research and respond to the museum’s collections in mutually beneficial ways. If you are planning a project tell us as soon as possible so we can see if we can support your project. Unfortunately, we cannot support every project that we are asked to.
You can find out more the projects we are involved in on the project pages.
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Collections management framework
We have combined our collections policies into one document called the collections management framework (PDF 400kb) The framework includes:
Collections Development Policy
The collections development policy helps to guide our decisions on how to care for and manage the collections. It includes:
Collections Information Policy
The information policy sets out how we record and store information about the collection.
Collections Care and Conservation Policy
The care and conservation policy lists the risks the collections face and how we try to limit damage.
Collections Access Policy
The access policy is there to help us to reduce barriers preventing people finding out more about the collection.
Loans policy
We are committed to making our collections widely available. We welcome requests to lend objects from our collection to other organisations and institutions which share the museum’s values and aims. Read our loans policy (PDF 250kb) for full details.
Care & treatment of human remains policy
Our care and treatment of human remains policy (PDF 250kb) sets out how we care for and use human remains.
Indigenous engagement policy
Our Indigenous engagement policy (PDF 250kb) sets out considerations for working with Indigenous collections and source communities.
Transferring Archaeological Archives
The Requirements for Transferring Archaeological Archives (PDF 350kb) policy sets out our requirements for the creation, compilation, transfer and deposition of archaeological archives.
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Fees and charges for venue hire, learning and collections resources and staff time are set each year by Hastings Borough Council. These are our current fees and charges (PDF 150kb).
Refund policy
We only refund bookings if they care cancelled by us or the museum has had to close due to circumstances beyond our control.
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These terms and conditions govern the use of our services, both online and when you visit the museum. Hastings Museum & Art Gallery is owned and operated by Hastings Borough Council (we, us, our).
We reserve the right to change these terms and conditions at any time by posting changes online. You are responsible for reviewing regularly information posted online to obtain timely notice of such changes.
When visiting the museum
Children
We welcome all unaccompanied children aged 14 and over to all our sites. Children under the age of 14 will need to be accompanied by a person aged over 16.
Group bookings
A group constitutes 10 or more people. Groups visits should be booked in advance.
Smoking
No smoking is permitted inside our buildings.
Photography, video and sound recording
Visitors may take (non-flash) photographs for personal non-commercial use. Tripods, flash and additional lighting should not be used. Permission should be sought before your visit for video and sound recordings. All photography, video and sound recording for commercial purposes needs to be agreed in advance and appropriate fees applied.
Dogs
No dogs, except assistance dogs, are permitted inside the museum.
Security
We reserve the right to refuse admission. No sharp or pointed items such as knives, razor blades, cutlery, tools, nail files, scissors, pen knives, de-activated firearms (including replicas), ammunition (of any calibre, in any quantity) pepper sprays and CS gas are permitted on our premises. Any items found will be confiscated. We reserve the right to search your bag(s) before entering the building.
Behaviour
We reserves the right remove people from the museum at any point on reasonable grounds. These grounds include but are not limited to:
- Behaviour that is, in the reasonable opinion of staff, has, or is likely to affect the enjoyment of other visitors.
- The use of threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour or in any way provokes or behaves in a manner which threats staff or visitors.
- Being under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances.
You must comply with instructions and directions given by staff and at all times. here applicable, no refunds will be given to people who are refused entry or ejected due to their own behaviour as listed, but not limited to, the examples above.
Refreshments
No eating or drinking is permitted inside our buildings except in in the refreshments area in the ground floor walkway
Bookings
When you make a booking you will receive a booking confirmation by email, which you will need to bring with you. By booking you understand and agree that:
- Tickets are valid only for the number of persons, the date, and time stated.
- Your visit is subject to any notices, directions and guidance of our staff during your visit.
- You must retain your tickets to show a member of staff if asked during your visit
- Tickets cannot be re-sold or transferred for profit or commercial gain by anyone other us. If you do so your ticket(s) will be void.
- We have the right to refuse to entry to the museum, event and exhibition and to escort you from the museum if you, in our judgment, breach any of these conditions.
- We reserve the right, at our discretion, to alter our advertised arrangements for any event or exhibition, including cancelling or closing them without notice. In any such event, (a) we shall not be liable to you for any loss of business, revenue, profits, anticipated savings or goodwill (whether direct or indirect) or for any indirect, special or consequential loss of any kind and in each case howsoever arising, even if you have advised us of the possibility of same; and (b) our maximum liability to you shall not exceed the total amount you paid for your ticket(s).
- This agreement is subject to the laws of England and Wales and the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
Cancellation terms
Bookings cannot be cancelled, transferred or amended. No refunds are available, except when the event is cancelled by us. We reserve the right to cancel any event. In the unlikely event of such cancellation, you will be offered an alternative, if available, and/or refunded the full cost of your pre-paid ticket (excluding any booking fees).
Website
Access to and use of this site is subject to the following terms and conditions.
- Your use of this site constitutes your acceptance of our terms and conditions.
- We are not liable, if for any reason, the site is unavailable at any time or for any period.
- Access to this site may be suspended temporarily or permanently and without notice.
- Whilst we endeavours to ensure that the information on this site is correct, no warranty, express or implied, is given as to its accuracy and we does not accept any liability for error or omission.
- We reserves the right to make alterations and corrections to the information contained in this website at any time without notice.
- We shall not be liable for any damages (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business or loss of profits) arising in contract, tort or otherwise from the use of or inability to use this site, or any material contained in it, or from any action or decision taken as a result of using this site or any such material.
- If any of these terms should be determined to be illegal, invalid or otherwise unenforceable by reason of the laws of any state or country in which these terms are intended to be effective, then to the extent and within the jurisdiction in which that term is illegal, invalid or enforceable, it shall be severed and deleted from the clause concerned and the remaining terms and conditions shall survive, remain in full force and effect and continue to be binding and enforceable.
- By accessing any part of this site, you should be deemed to have accepted these terms in full.
- These terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law.
Copyright
This website and its contents contain intellectual property copyright materials and works belonging to Hastings Borough Council (as Hastings Museum & Art Gallery) and to third parties (from whom we have made all reasonable efforts to obtain full consent to publish their works and materials on the website).
All text and images on this website are protected by internationally recognised laws of copyright and intellectual property. Your right to access, use, print and download from the website is subject to your strict compliance with the terms and conditions set out above.
Disclaimer
Throughout our site you will find links to external websites. Although we make every effort to ensure these links are accurate, up to date and relevant, we cannot take responsibility for pages maintained by external providers. They are provided for convenience only. We do not sponsor, nor necessarily endorse or otherwise approve of any information or statements appearing on those websites
Please note that external links from this website may include material of a sensitive nature. We take no responsibility for information contained in external websites. We shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your use of or reliance external sits.
Every reasonable effort has been made to seek appropriate permission from people identifiable in photographs used throughout the site.