The Museum of Richmond Faces a Challenge — and We’re Rising to Meet It

As an independent charity dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich history of Richmond, it is with sadness and determination that we learnt very recently that the support provided by our annual LBRuT council grant will be reduced by 25%. Despite this undeniable challenge, the Council remains our first and foremost partner and together we continue to work to preserve and share the borough’s extensive cultural heritage and serve as an inclusive, vibrant, and educational space for learning, creativity, and community connection. Richmond was, after all, once the chosen site of our Kings and Queens. Queen Elizabeth I died at Richmond Palace. Elizabeth II’s memorable journey down the Thames on her river boat “The Gloriana” was a terrific sight – on a boat crafter in Richmond by our residents expert boat builders. Not to offer a window to this history is unthinkable.

“While we appreciate the broader financial constraints facing local authorities, we are, of course, disappointed by the news, particularly since we are currently working with the Council to improve our visitor experience further via a move to larger and more appropriate premises,” said Dr. Nicola Mann, Chair of the Board of Trustees at the museum. “We are exploring alternative funding sources, new partnerships, and mobilising community support to ensure the museum can continue  to operate and innovate, pay staff and bills and, hopefully, remain free for visitors.” We need your help.

For over 36 years, the Museum of Richmond has been at the heart of the town’s cultural landscape, welcoming thousands of visitors annually and supporting a wide range of local schools in delivering National Curriculum themes. In 2024/2025, the museum ran  78 schools workshops working with 270 students, covering everything from Prehistory to World War Two. The Family Workshops, meanwhile, which run as onsite workshops for families in the school holidays, attracted 430 attendees. Alongside this hugely successful Learning Programme, the museum offers exhibitions that tell the diverse stories of the borough. A notable example is our recent exhibition, Wish You Were Here: From Horace Walpole to Ted Lasso, which showcased the area’s cultural evolution as a significant local and international tourist destination and exemplified our charitable commitment to making history accessible for all. We have many visitors from the Richmond Borough as well as from across London and abroad.

We invite all supporters of Richmond and local heritage to help us navigate this difficult time. Whether through visits, donations, volunteering, or becoming Friends,  Patrons, or Benefactors, local resident involvement is crucial to our future. As a matter of priority, we actively seek additional funds as security to allow breathing space for developing longer-term income generating plans. Please contact the Chair of the Board of Trustees at the email below to see how you can donate.

Patron of the Museum and best-selling author, Anthony Horowitz, states, “What is Richmond without its history? A cut to the funding of Richmond Museum is a cut to the whole community and we all need to support this vital resource.”

Fellow best-selling author and long standing supporter and Benefactor of the museum, Anne Sebba, thinks similarly stating, “Having an active and welcoming museum, which holds up a mirror to the past and a path for the future, should be at the heart of our vibrant town.”

Please support Richmond’s Best Kept Secret – visit the museum and the website www.museumofrichmond.com, and follow on social media for updates. Consider joining the Benefactors Circle, a group of people who generously donate £500 per annum to sustain the museum and, in turn, receive invitations to Private Views and special events. For information on how you can help, please contact: trusteemusofrich@gmail.com.

Current Exhibition: Trailblazing Women: Richmond’s Sporting Superstars (June 2025-March 2026)

Media Contact:
Dr. Nicola Mann
Chair of the Board of Trustees
trusteemusofrich@gmail.com
020 8332 1141
www.museumofrichmond.com