As part of Watford Borough Council’s Town Hall Quarter programme, Watford Museum has been awarded £2,454,347 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
This funding is to support the creation of an exciting and interactive new heritage service in the Grade II listed Watford Town Hall.
Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding will help transform the museum service, offering a fresh, accessible experience that better showcases Watford's rich history. The move to the Town Hall will allow the museum to better engage with the community and visitors, creating a cultural hub alongside neighbouring venues, like the Colosseum and Library.
Watford Museum is one of 15 life-changing, diverse projects to be given a total of over £30 million by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to mark the organisation’s 30th anniversary.
The exciting plans will see the museum move to the front of the Town Hall, including the listed committee rooms that are wonderful examples of 1930s design. The new location also provides a great opportunity to create a museum that gives visitors an enhanced experience, including an array of new galleries:
Gallery One: Introducing Watford - A sensory journey through Watford's past, from its ancient roots to its industrial boom and the rise of Watford FC. Highlights include the Pennant pub bar, a Columbian printing press, and the Watford Observer clock.
Gallery Two: Sporting Watford - Celebrate the town’s sporting legacy, including Watford FC and local boxing heroes, with rotating displays for local sports clubs to share their achievements.
Gallery Three: We Are Watford - Focusing on the diverse lives of Watford’s people, this gallery will invite residents to contribute their stories and artefacts, blending community narratives with the museum’s collection.
To ensure that the museum will be inclusive, engaging, and relevant to the community, the plans for the new heritage service have been shaped significantly by feedback from last year’s survey, consultation events and insights from the NexGen group of 16 to 18-year-olds.
Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, said: “This funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund will bring Watford’s unique heritage to life in a way that’s fun and accessible to everyone. Moving the museum to the Town Hall gives us the chance to design an exciting, modern space for visitors of all ages.
"I look forward to seeing how our community will engage with this new space and share their own stories, making the museum a true reflection of Watford’s vibrant spirit. It’s a huge vote of confidence in Watford and the Town Hall Quarter programme, ”
Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players over the last 30 years, we have worked with those who care for heritage and helped transformed the UK’s heritage landscape, contributing to communities and the economy. Our funding benefits all parts of the heritage ecosystem, including visitors, volunteers and the communities which surround it, and I cannot wait to see what the future brings as we work to deliver our vision for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.”
Work on the new museum will start in early 2025. To keep up to date with progress and information please visit watfordtownhallquarter.com.