Town Mayor Celebrates Reopening of Heritage Centre & Museum for 2026 Season

The Town Mayor, Cllr Chris Bryant, paid a visit to the Hailsham Heritage Centre & Museum today [Friday 1 May] to mark its reopening for the 2026 season.

Located in Blackman’s Yard just behind the Town Council offices in Market Street, the museum is open to the public from May through to October. Visitors are welcome on Fridays and Saturdays between 10am and 12.30pm, with free admission available to all. The museum is run by volunteers from the Hailsham Historical & Natural History Society.

Although compact in size, the museum houses a wide variety of displays. These include a reconstructed period kitchen, exhibits on agriculture and farming, collections of local artefacts, historic photographs from the 19th and 20th centuries, and an assortment of wartime items.

Cllr Chris Bryant said: “It’s wonderful to see the museum open its doors once again for the season. The dedication and passion of the volunteers are evident throughout, and their hard work ensures that Hailsham’s heritage is preserved and shared with both residents and visitors alike. The centre offers a fascinating glimpse into the town’s past, helping people of all ages connect with local history in a meaningful way.”

“Places like this play an important role in bringing communities together, sparking interest and pride in where we live. I would encourage everyone to take the opportunity to visit, explore the exhibits and support the ongoing efforts of the Society in keeping our local stories alive for future generations.”

Richard Goldsmith, Chair of the Hailsham Historical & Natural History Society, added: “It was a pleasure to show Cllr Bryant around our museum when we reopened for the 2026 season. We are continuing to improve and update the displays and this year we have managed to sort out some of the items from our storage area.”

“We have also started on the task of computerising our records, so that we can more easily find information for visitors in our growing collection of local documents and photographs.”

For further details about the Hailsham Heritage Centre & Museum, contact Richard Goldsmith at the Hailsham Historical Society on 01323 843102 or visit hailshamhistoricalsociety.co.uk.