A RANGE of intriguing new exhibits will be on display when Minehead Museum opens for its 11th season on Saturday, March 22.
These will include archive displays on the Minehead Turnpike Trust, Isabella Gifford, the Victorian botanist who lived in Minehead and did pioneering work on seaweed, the Hopcott Hotel fire and the centenary of Blenheim Gardens.
Other popular attractions are a fine oil painting of Minehead harbour dated c1800, and gifted to the museum last year in memory of local historian the late John Gilman. Also on show will be a portrait of 18th century Minehead solicitor Samuel Warren and the medals of Harry Bertram Walker, MC, a surgeon at Minehead Old Hospital who served in both World Wars.
The museum is also home to a full-size Hobby Horse, various models including those of the Regal Theatre and the former pier, along with local Punch and Judy puppets and many other exhibits connected with the town’s history. It has now completed ten successful years as part of the Community Hub at the Beach Hotel.
The story began in 2011, when the Minehead Museum Project Group was just a sub-committee, set up by Minehead and District’s Conservation Society in line with one of the original aims of the Society.
The Project Group became independent of the Society in autumn 2013, having successfully curated a “Pop-up” museum in the former Visitors’ Centre on the sea front. This led to the offer of a room in the former Steamers Bar, next to the new Visitors’ Centre in the Beach Hotel, from the new owners, the YMCA.
Minehead Museum was officially opened by the then Mayor of Minehead, Val Welch, in April 2014. By September it had welcomed its 6,000th visitor.
With new displays added every year, the museum flourished and became a registered charity In October 2016. The following August the museum had doubled in size, expanding into the hotel’s former café space.
Besides offering displays on every aspect of Minehead history, with new topics covered every season, the museum contributes to Minehead life in a variety of ways.
A spokesperson explained: “We have collaborated with Minehead and District U3A and offer after-hours visits to school children and groups. Besides offering a variety of talks, we publish books on Minehead’s history, most recently on Blenheim Gardens and Minehead’s WW1 Mule Squadron.
“We have quizzes to suit all ages and our growing archives include local family trees.
“Early on this season we expect to welcome our 80,00th visitor and have been so successful over the years that we now need larger premises.
“All this has been achieved by volunteers, whether committee members and trustees, workers behind the scenes or stewards who welcome visitors”
The museum now invites local residents to join the team or to keep in touch by becoming a Friend of Minehead Museum for £10 a year. Further information is available on the museum’s Facebook page and at www.Minehead Museum.co.uk.
The spokesperson added: “Most importantly, come and visit us in 2025.”