Bexhill Museum is delighted to announce that it has been awarded £43,118 from the UK Government’s new Museum Renewal Fund, part of a £20 million nationwide programme to help local museums stay open, resilient and thriving.
The Museum Renewal Fund grants, announced by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 8 October 2025, will support 75 civic museums across England to maintain services, preserve community programmes and ensure public access to local heritage.
For Bexhill Museum, this award represents a vital boost at a critical moment. Operated as an independent charity and powered by volunteers, the museum continues to face rising costs while maintaining its wide-ranging displays of local history, archaeology, costume and social heritage.
The £43,118 grant will help secure public access, support staff and volunteer roles, and strengthen educational and community engagement activity through 2026. It will also contribute to planning for a more sustainable future as the museum continues to serve the people of Bexhill and Rother.
Sally Hemmings, the chair of the Museum board of trustees said the museum team were enormously grateful for this funding.
“We are delighted that the importance of small independent museums is recognised for the role we play in safeguarding our heritage, enhancing education and lifelong learning, and for the overall contribution we make to our communities.
“Every pound will help us to maintain and further develop this offer to the community and ensure that we continue to be a key focal point of historic and cultural interest.”
The Museum Renewal Fund is part of the government’s wider Arts Everywhere Fund, a £270 million investment in local culture announced earlier this year.
For more information on the Museum Renewal Fund and other grantees, visit the DCMS website.