March 12, 2025
When was Haslemere Museum opened and what does it offer the community?
Haslemere Museum was established in 1888 by the eminent physician, Sir Jonathan Hutchinson. He wanted everyone to have the opportunity of gaining knowledge and enjoyment through seeing and handling objects of beauty and interest, in order to gain a deeper understanding of our world.
Today, the Museum’s permanent galleries display objects of natural history, geology and human history from its notable collections.
The Georgian frontage on Haslemere’s historic high street leads to 15,000 square metres of beautiful grounds.
The Museum also runs a lively programme of exhibitions and events for all ages.
What can visitors expect from Haslemere Museum?
Entry to the Museum is by donation.
Visitors can explore the galleries, where they will find natural history specimens, including Victorian and Edwardian taxidermy specimens of a wide variety of animals and birds from around the world, as well as an ancient Egyptian mummy and artefacts from human history.
Visitors can also enjoy the gardens, which include a woodland boardwalk, a pond and a beehive observation hut where bees can be seen behind glass as they work in the hive.
What's your favourite aspect of the museum’s offering?
The European Peasant Art collection includes some beautiful arts and crafts pieces. The Museum also displays some exquisite taxidermy birds.
Can you talk about some of the events you host?
The events programme includes interesting talks, craft workshops and activities for children in the school holidays. All events are listed on the ‘What’s On’ page of the Museum’s website.
The Museum also hosts temporary exhibitions, either highlighting particular aspects of its collections, or hosting displays by outside organisations such as local artists.