Guildford Museum Works to Encourage Interest in Town’s History

Published on: 14 Jun, 2025
Updated on: 17 Jun, 2025

Inspiring an interest in history: From left, Peta Malthouse, Cllr Catherine Houston, Hugh Anscombe, Cllr Amanda Hargreaves, Nick Bale, The Mayor, Cllr Amanda Creese, Richard Williams and Malcolm Watson.

A new partnership is being developed to encourage interest in Guildford’s history among the town’s residents.

The Friends of Guildford Museum and Guildford Borough Council want to work together to inspire people to become interested in the town’s past.

The project is manned by volunteers, who will answer questions from the public and undertake research.

The Friends of Guildford Museum group welcomed the Mayor of Guildford, Howard Smith, to its annual meeting. Also attending was the council’s lead councillor for services, Catherine Houston, whose portfolio includes Heritage Services and the museum, as well as Cllr Amanda Creese.

Nick Bale, chairman of the friends group, explained that new and interesting activities are important to attract new members. “This is vital to sustain the organisation’s future,” he said.

The friends group continues to provide financial support to assist with exhibitions and facilities that the museum could otherwise not afford. Its members also provide many of the volunteers that allow the opening of the Guildhall.

The council’s lead councillor for heritage, Amanda Hargreaves, gave the positive news that visitor numbers to the museum have been growing as a result of their considerable efforts to hold exhibitions and events that appeal to people of all ages and backgrounds.

The Friends of Guildford Museum group is looking for new members who would like to positively impact the future of the museum as well as to discover more about the town’s history.

To find out more visit https://www.friendsofguildfordmuseum.org.uk/ or its Facebook page.