Bexhill Museum opened in 1914 with one gallery, and has grown its collection to match its style ever since. After 2003 the Egerton Road building incorporated the Bexhill Old Town Costume Museum for a rebuild that established the unique mix of the modern and Edwardian that it is today. Its four galleries and unique artefacts are maintained by Bexhill Museum Ltd, a UK registered charity (no. 1102638).
The primary purpose of Bexhill Museum is to collect, conserve, display and interpret objects and information related to the history and natural environment of our surrounding area. This work is undertaken for the benefit of the public and, in particular, the residents of Bexhill and district, local schools & colleges and visitors to the 1066 Country area.
Bexhill Museum is an independent Arts Council accredited museum. It is currently directed by a four-member management team appointed by the charity's board of Trustees, and is operated daily almost entirely by volunteers. The appointments of new Trustees are approved by majority vote by the membership at their annual general meeting.
Our emphasis is on education through displays and exhibitions in the gallery and by outreach work in the community. Julian Porter MA, who is employed by Rother District Council as District Curator for Rother's Museum Service, is attached to Bexhill Museum as its curator and provides expert advice and guidance on all aspects of the collection's history, documentation, care & display.
Our Curator
Julian Porter MA is employed by Rother District Council as District Curator, on attachment to Bexhill Museum.
Directors and Trustees
The director-trustees currently serving are:
Amy Mock
Anne Stacey (vice-chair)
Catherine Hirst
Dan Scales
Gordon Smith
Jason Trainor
Martin Bell
Sally Hemmings (chair)
Honorary President
Formerly the late John Betts
Ambassador
Suzy Eddie Izzard
Management team
Direction of day to day operations are currently the responsibility of a four-person Management Team appointed by the Trustees of Bexhill Museum:
- Julian Porter MA
- Stella Hales-Morris
- Gordon Smith
- Rohan Jayasekera AMA MSc MA PGcert (Curation)
Staff & volunteers
Volunteer Services Coordinator: Gordon Smith
Membership: Jenny Snape
Museum shop: Beryl Feakins, Chris Waterfield, Terri Peirce
Front of House: Karen Smith
Education programme contacts: Anne Lucarotti, Asten Holmes-Elliott, Lesley Wilde
Social Media: Julian Porter, Karen Smith
Collections Management Volunteer Team
Collections Care Coordinator: Mary Bywater
Collections care: Stella Hales-Morris, Stuart Pemberton
Archives: Mary Hart, Evan France, Hisako Jo, Peter Rawles
Costumes: Georgina Bradley, Stella Hales-Morris, Maureen Newport
Other staff
The museum has two paid employees: Rohan Jayasekera, Development & Finance Lead, and Toni Neville, Housekeeping. Curator Julian Porter, Rother District Curator and is on attachment to the museum from the council as curator.