Museum Committee minutes

Decided · A decision has been taken.

These are the minutes of the Museum Committee meeting held on 15 June 2026. p1

The committee approved the minutes of the previous meeting held on 16 March 2026, with corrections to the HSLMA AGM date and some misspelt names and role titles. p4

Alice Roberts-Pratt, Museum and Collections Manager, presented the Museum and NPO Update Report, noting that annual visitor attendance had increased by 3,848 compared to the previous year, and the committee unanimously resolved to accept the report and recommend approval by Cabinet. p5p8

The Museum and Collections Manager presented a Collections Report covering pest management, conservation work and museum loans, and the committee unanimously resolved to accept the report and recommend approval by Cabinet. p9p10

Richard Street gave an update on behalf of the Hastings and St Leonards Museum Association, describing its fundraising and support for the museum, including funding agreed for display equipment for an automaton. p12

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• p1Museum Committee — minutes of the meeting on 15/06/2026
• p43. Minutes of the previous meeting - 16 March 2026 RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting held on 16 March 2026 be approved, subject to a) noting that the HSLMA AGM was in December, not September 2025 and b) correcting several misspelt names and role titles: · Stephen Van Dulken · Victoria Conheady (Deputy Chief Executive); and · Malcolm Saville
• p54. Museum and NPO Update Report Alice Roberts-Pratt, Museum and Collections Manager, presented the museum report. Annual visitor attendance had exceeded the previous year by 3848. Shop income was £1,964 as of May, with an achievable £20,000 target by year end. Nine weddings had been secured, which would generate valuable income through use of the Durbar Hall. Hire income totalled £2,202, which was greater than the same period last year. Donations currently amounted to £450, with contactless payments having increased contributions alongside cash donations. The education programme continued to expand, with the Education Officer and Human Histories Curator delivering an Open Doors work experience initiative. Pupils attended in larger groups to learn about museum processes and collections, including object handling and 3D scanning. The Education Officer continued to exceed participation targets, with notable repeat visits from children, particularly from the Hollington area, supported by clear messaging around free access and the museum as a safe, welcoming space. Exhibition activity remained strong. Recent highlights included JJ Waller’s Beside the Sea and Lemons, Laws and Secret Doors , which had performed well alongside a comprehensive events programme. The Hastings Open was scheduled for the autumn, with a focus on increasing youth participation through a dedicated prize. Additional exhibitions included Grace Lau’s portraits, Ruth Calland’s Walkway Gallery display, Outside the Lines , Art in the Times of Challenge , and the Hastings RX Morris 50th anniversary display. Upcoming programming included The Tapestry of Black Britons in partnership with Paula Ogun Hector. Recruitment was underway for an Outreach and Engagement Officer to strengthen community engagement. Interviews were also planned for a Collections Access Officer funded through NPO.
• p8HSLMA Members provided positive feedback on the current exhibition, highlighting its participatory format and emphasis on local research, interpretation, and community voice. The approach was noted as progressive, allowing visitors to engage critically and contribute perspectives. The inclusion of local histories and archival material was recognised as particularly valuable in grounding the exhibition in place-based narratives. Dr Kean sought clarification on the role of the Human History Curator. The Museum and Collections Manager explained that this referred to the Collections and Engagement Curator (Human History), working collaboratively with the Education Officer on funded educational activities, including 3D scanning work. Further detail was then requested on the oral history project arising from engagement with the Women’s Institute, and it was confirmed that recorded material would form part of the museum’s contemporary collecting and oral history archive. The Chair thanked the Committee and Officers for their participation and urged that Officers arrange for the Committee to visit the museum before the next committee meeting. RESOLVED (unanimously) To accept the report and recommend approval by Cabinet.
• p95. Collections Report The Museum and Collections Manager provided an update on collections management and activity. Pest management investigations had identified potential entry points in storage areas, including gaps in doors and roof spaces. Plans were underway to seal the gaps and to replace the door to the roof to prevent further infestations. Temperature and relative humidity were within acceptable ranges across the museum. The temperature and lux monitor would be moved from the Walkway Gallery to the Seaside Gallery to collect data for the forthcoming British Museum loan. The Bayeux Around Britain programme launch event was held at the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery. The Stothart Cast, derived from the tapestry, would be loaned to the museum for display as part of the programme. Preparations were also underway for the return of the Hastings Embroidery, created in 1966, which would be brought back from storage in London for display at the Town Hall between August and October. Collections management work included an audit of the Upper Durbar Hall collection which involved detailed work to identify, catalogue and record objects, some of which lacked accession details. Further work included assessing and retrieving maps held offsite, with plans for digitisation subject to funding. Loan activity included an approved request from Chatham Historic Dockyard for a J.M.W Turner painting and additional marine biology objects. Recent acquisitions included a publication created by a home education group and a historic fisherman’s textile item. Disposals were being undertaken in line with policy, with items not accessioned being removed where appropriate and others offered to public institutions before being made available locally through creative networks. The disposals policy was under review to strengthen oversight and documentation.
• p10Conservation work on a historic banquette in the Durbar Hall had been completed through external funding, with plans forthcoming for interpretation and public display. The Chair thanked Officers for their report and their work on managing the collections; and invited HSLMA committee members to speak. Richard Street was pleased with the attendance at the Bayeux Around Britain launch event but was disappointed that it had not received wider media coverage. Feedback from attendees at the event, including representatives from major heritage organisations, had been highly complimentary about the museum’s collections and exhibitions and those compliments were a credit to the museum team. Steve Peak suggested that there was potential for future exhibitions focusing on maps and wider local history material. Officers confirmed that exhibitions relating to the 200-year anniversary of Burtons’ St Leonards in 2028 and windmills had already been incorporated into forward planning. The feasibility of displaying historic maps was discussed, with it noted that due to their condition, digitisation and reproduction would be required rather than direct display. Opportunities to improve digital access and interpretation were acknowledged, including potential use of display technology. Cllr McCullouch sought clarification on the exhibition programming process. Officers confirmed that programming followed a structured proposal and review approach rather than being determined solely by the museum team. Suggestions from the committee included the potential for future displays of local artworks and comparative ‘then and now’ interpretations. Richard Street advised that HSLMA funding to support relevant projects was available. RESOLVED (unanimously) To accept the report and recommend approval by Cabinet.
• p127. Museum Association Update Richard Street provided a brief history of the Hastings and St Leonards Museum Association and its role in fundraising for and supporting the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery. Recent contributions included the purchase of a contactless donation device, artefacts, and conservation materials to improve storage and preservation within the local studies collection. Funding had also been agreed for display equipment for an automaton. Additional support for acquisitions, including ceremonial and historical items had been provided and the association continued to respond to museum requests for financial support where council funding was not available. Fundraising activity was delivered through donations and a programme of public and members’ events, primarily held in the Durbar Hall. Recent and upcoming events, visits, and talks were summarised, alongside plans for a guided walk of St Leonards to be led by Stephen Van Dulken. In September, Ken Brooks would be giving a talk about the history of the RNLI; and new or renewed applications for Membership of the association were encouraged, details of which were available on the association’s website and social media. The Chair thanked Richard Street for the update and committee members for their attendance and participation. Members noted that the next meeting of the Committee was scheduled for 14 September 2026.