24 Hour Museum - official guide to UK museums, galleries, exhibitions and heritage
Gateway to Over 3,000 UK museums, galleries and heritage attractions
Skip to navigation
Arundel Museum Moves Into Its New Premises - A Car Park Portakabin
By Veronica Cowan
17/03/2008
Image: a photo of a man in a suit standing by the open door of a portakabin
The Duke of Norfolk opens the new home of Arundel Museum. © John Bowyer
Arundel Museum in West Sussex has moved into its new temporary home, a Portakabin in a car park, pending the construction of a new heritage centre.
Opening the door to the blue Portakabin-type structure, on March 14 2008, the Duke of Norfolk observed: “I have been asked to open a number of things, but it’s the first time I have opened a freight container.”
The move was triggered by expiry of the lease on the museum’s former premises on the High Street last December; Arun District Council has now sold the building.
The temporary structure, donated by construction company Osborne, is called the History Store and provides a base from which to fund-raise for the new building. There is room for an office and a some small exhibitions, such as the current one on Porches and Porticos, linked to a walking tour of the town.
Image: an architect's drawing of a single storey structure
The design for the new Arundel Heritage Centre. © GWP Architects
Estimated costs of the new heritage centre are in the region of £1.2 million, although it is hoped that Arun District Council will commit a significant sum.
A trust is in the process of being constituted to facilitate fund-raising and overseeing of the project, as well as looking into other sources of funding, such as an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The plans were drawn by Graham Whitehouse, architect at GWP Architects, Burgess Hill. “We will enjoy responding to the challenge of this important location, and hope we will produce a building worthy of Arundel’s historic past.”
Image: a photograph of a blue portakabin type structure
The History Store has room for an office and a some small exhibitions. © Veronica Cowan
He added that they hope to develop a contemporary building with sensitive use of some traditional materials: “It will be principally flint, oak and glass, and will have references to Arundel’s maritime history and the importance of the river, as reflected in the prow-shaped front of the proposed structure.”
The new building will also overcome one of the problems with the old site, namely lack of disabled access, since it will be single storey, and fully accessible.
Mr. Whitehouse now has to steer the project through the planning process, but it is hoped that construction work will start in the late spring or early summer of 2009, with completion in 2010.
Arundel Museum and Heritage Centre
Arundel Museum and Heritage Centre, c/o The Town Hall, Maltravers Street, Arundel BN18 9NY, Arundel, West Sussex, England
Open: March - August 2008 11am to 3pm
September 2008 - Easter 2009 11am to 1pm
Related Articles
Victorian Time Travel Quiz Launched By 18 West Sussex Museums
E-news registration
E-mail story to a friend
Tell us what you think
National Portrait Gallery Acquires Tudor Double Portrait
Sheffield Metal Master Wins Museum's Inaugural Design Award
DCMS Launches Consultation Into The Future Of World Heritage Sites
A Selection Of Festive Fairs - Fun Days and Exhibitions
Royal Society Announces Plans For 350th Anniversary
Art Website ArtisanCam Wins Coveted Children's BAFTA
Former Floorboards Of Founding Father Franklin Facilitate Funny Four
Mark Leckey Wins The 2008 Turner Prize And Scoops £25,000
Library Thief Update: Sentencing Adjourned Until January 16, 2009
Fund Aims To Realise Long-Standing Campaign For Cardiff City Museum
Culture Secretary Slaps Export Ban On George I Chandelier
Shakespeare's Globe Costumes Go On Show In Nottingham
Britglyph Art Campaign Uses Web To Make Mass Geoglyph
Inaugural Awards Ceremony Honours UK Arts Philanthropists
Rare Silver Cup Commemorating Coronation Of Charles II Is Saved For The Nation
London Fire Brigade Museum Escapes Closure - For Now
Another Busy Year For Archaeology On Orkney In 2008
Severndroog Castle To Be Restored Thanks To Lottery Grant
Search this site
Home Page
News Page
Exhibition Page
What's On
Trails Page
Website of the Week
Letters Page
Welsh Home
Graphical Version
Copyright © 24 Hour Museum
Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.