Chesham Museum is a community organisation founded in 2004 in the former stables of a public house “The Gamekeeper’s Lodge’, and relocated in
2009 to its present premises in Market Square, Chesham. The museum was conceived and founded, and is maintained, run and financed, completely by local volunteers, and by their joint fund raising activities with the support of local businesses, schools and the wider population.
The museum aims to educate visitors about the rich history of Chesham and its past inhabitants. Our collection primarily deals with things that are associated with Chesham, but also the outer-lying areas:
Asheridge, Ashley Green, Ballinger, Bellingdon, Chartridge, Hyde Heath, Latimer, Lee Common and Ley Hill.
Come and see us in our beautifully refurbished museum, now free of charge thanks to a generous donation from Waitrose.
We have Exhibitions
Chesham’s Past – any artefact to do with Chesham or its surrounding areas that date from early ages up until the end of the Victorian era; ii. Chesham at War – war time memorabilia associated with Chesham people; iii. Chesham Memories – items of domestic, community and personal interest; iv. Chesham Industries – items made by Chesham’s many and varied industries and the tools associated with them.
The Museum also maintains a regular programme of temporary displays on a variety of local history themes to encourage repeat visits and a regular focus of interest. The window is also used occasionally to promote other community groups in Chesham, for example the annual pantomime at the Elgiva Theatre. Exhibitions of objects and photographs from the Museum’s collections are occasionally mounted outside the front of the Museum and at other external venues, e.g. for Heritage Day in September.
Events
The Museum volunteers maintain a programme of events, which include heritage Walks, and Outside location talks by volunteers on request Historically fund-raising events have included an organised quiz, tea dances, plant and produce sales, a curry evening, an antiques valuation evening with John Bligh, and at least two major fund-raising events in a year. We have two regular quiz evenings a year. The education group respond to requests from organisations, (e.g. U3A, Church groups, Scouting groups) for visits and town walks.
