Future of Littlehampton Museum discussed as results of Project Time Machine consultation are revealed

The results of the extensive public consultation were revealed to Littlehampton Town Council at an extraordinary community resources committee meeting.

The consultation was the first phase of Project Time Machine, funded by a grant from the National Lottery.

Nathan Ireland is now in place as the new Project Time Machine officer, taking control of mission two.

Nathan said: "The project is now well and truly under way. Funded through a National Lottery Unlocking Collections grant, we are aiming to re-catalogue our social history collection.

"In doing so, we hope to uncover hidden histories and untold stories of Littlehampton’s past. We are proud of the diverse, dynamic history of Littlehampton and want to celebrate all cultures in our town, both past and present.

"Myself and our volunteers have started the Time Machine, and we will keep you updated every step of the way. If you want to see more up close, pop into the museum and have a look in the Hearne Gallery to see us hard at work, we are happy to have a chat and answer any of your questions.

"We want to include you in this process, by asking for your input on artefacts, as well as sharing exciting stories with you."

Museum curator Julia Edge presented the consultation report to councillors, setting out the progress with the delivery of Project Time Machine and a summary of the feedback from the recently-concluded exercise.

She explained this was the first phase of the project, which had the specific aim of identifying barriers to public participation in the museum and informing the development of a new Audience Development Plan and Collections Development Policy and Plan.

Using the grant from the National Lottery, consultant Pamela Kent was engaged to carry out the work and produce a detailed report of the findings.

Pamela gave a presentation of the findings and key statistics gathered from the survey. The aim was to identify barriers to participation and improve the social history collections, represent 'hidden' histories and enhance local pride.

There were 403 respondents to the survey and eight focus groups with a total of 52 respondents.

The majority visited the museum up to three times a year, typically with family, but a significant number had never visited. Interest in local history was the main motivation, alongside interest in a specific collection or exhibition.

Common barriers were lack of time, lack of information and limited knowledge of the museum. Accessibility was hugely important and 80.9 per cent viewed on-site toilets as very important or quite important.

Pamela said a recurring theme was the difficulty in finding the museum due to inadequate signage and lack of visibility.

Many rated their overall experience positively but there was room for improvement, including dynamic exhibits and fixing tech issues. History trails was the most popular suggestion for new activities to be introduced.

Pamela said the findings showed the museum needed a stronger 'voice', brand and online presence, better signage and community outreach. There should also be more interactive content, focusing more on video, with content for younger audiences, for example TikTok.

More community hands-on involvement was needed, alongside more frequent events and exhibition changes.

There was a strong desire for a larger, more versatile space, or even a new venue, with the addition of a café and shop.

In conclusion, Pamela said the museum needed to build on the public support and address the key barriers. More contemporary and inclusive exhibits should be developed, and the capacity should be expanded through staffing, partnerships and funding opportunities.

During the committee's discussions, the concept of a history trail, starting and ending at the museum, was suggested. It was noted that previous walking tours in the town had been well received.

There was a wide-ranging conversation about the current location of the museum, possible alternative venues for the collection and exhibition themes.

Recalling the former Look and Sea Centre and the way that had been used to house exhibitions about the town’s maritime history, it was considered the connection between the town, the river and the sea remained a popular theme for future displays featuring this aspect of the town’s heritage.

It was reported that Arun District Council was included in the Coastal Catalyst project, which was awarded Arts Council funding, and that the Harbour Board would be interested in working with the town council on a project in the future.