Brighton Toy And Model Museum

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"The Entrance of The Brighton Toy And Model Museum, Trafalgar Street, Brighton. Photo taken 22 January 2008"
"The Entrance of The Brighton Toy And Model Museum, Trafalgar Street, Brighton. Photo taken 22 January 2008"

The Brighton Toy And Model Museum, previously known as the Sussex Toy And Model Museum, is located in Trafalgar Street, Brighton under a number of arches which provide support for Brighton railway station. The museum's collection includes approximately 10,000 toys and models [1].

The museum is Registered charity No. 1001560 in the United Kingdom. It was registered as a charity in 1990.

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[edit] History of the museum

The museum was founded as a charitable trust, the Sussex Toy And Model Museum in 1990 by Christopher Littledale who is the museum's first and current director. The museum's website states that: "One of the principle objectives of the charitable trust is to ensure that the collections remain together and live on in perpetuity for the benefit of future generations."[2]

The museum began to experience leaks in May 1998 and by November of the same year it was forced to close due to flooding. [3] The flooding was caused by Railtrack contractors who interfered with a Victorian drainage system in the process of re-surfacing the railway station forecourt and taxi area.[4] At the time of its closure the museum was the only toy museum in England.

The museum was closed for three years while negotiations with Railtrack and Railtrack's property management division, Espacia, took place. Ultimately, Railtrack agreed to spend £130,000 on repair works to waterproof the museum and a further undisclosed sum as compensation to the museum's trustees and the museum reopened on 12 October 2001.

In November 2004 H. R. H. Duke of Gloucester visited the museum and unveiled a commemorative plaque.

In November 2005 the museum was awarded £1,594.70 of grant money from the Surrey, East Sussex and West Sussex Museum Development Service's SEWS Museum Development Fund. The money was used to purchase computer equipment and create a database of specialist information about toys.

In September 2005 Claire Eden replaced Andrew Woodfield as curator of the museum.

The museum launched a campaign to "Make History Fun" in October 2005.

Funding for the museum's curator post ran out on 30 December 2006 leading to the departure of Claire Eden as curator.

Local band Peggy Sue and the Pirates staged a short performance at the museum as part of the T Mobile phone network's The Great Escape Festival.

On 01 June 2007 television actor Tony Robinson visited the museum. His visit was covered by BBC News[5] and The Argus[6].

The museum also appeared in the The Argus[7] on 29 June 2007 and the Brighton And Hove Leader on 05 July 2007, concerning a fairground exhibit that was displayed between July and October 2007.

[edit] Governance

The Brighton Toy And Model Museum is an independent, non-profit organisation and is United Kingdom registered charity no. 1001560. It was founded by Christopher Littledale.

The museum's current trustees are:

  • Michael Gilkes F.R.C.S.
  • Alan Pett - Chairman of the Trustees
  • Chris Littledale - Director
  • Kenneth Mathews
  • Susan Diab
  • Wulf Never

The post of company secretary is vacant as of November 2007. The museum website invites applicants. [8]

[edit] Building

The current venue, 52 – 55 Trafalgar Street Brighton, is locally referred to as "The Arches".

The arches were built in 1845 to support the station forecourt. The space was initially used to store beer barrels for a brewery. The lower archway, where the museum entrance is now situated, was housed four dray horses and a corn storage silo. During World War Two the arches housed an area headquarters for the British Army. The structure is also one of a number of buildings in Brighton that are reputed to be haunted. [9]

It was acquired by the trust in 1990 but required nearly a year of renovations before the museum could open. The renovations included complete electrical rewiring and re-bricking of the arches themselves. The museum opened in 1991.

In 1998 the museum experienced regular water leaks and was flooded, leading to three years of closure. Extensive building work was carried out between February and October 2001 when the museum was waterproofed with corrugated metal and guttering at a cost of £130,000. The museum then reopened (see history of the museum, above).

In the autumn and winter of 2005 the museum again suffered water ingress and further work was carried out in 2006.

[edit] Access

"The Entrance Sign of The Brighton Toy And Model Museum, Trafalgar Street, Brighton. Photo taken 22 January 2008"
"The Entrance Sign of The Brighton Toy And Model Museum, Trafalgar Street, Brighton. Photo taken 22 January 2008"

The full address of the museum is: Brighton Toy and Model Museum, 52/55 Trafalgar Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 4EB, England

As of 23 November 2007 the museum's opening times are:

  • Tuesday to Friday: 10:00am - 5:00pm
  • Saturday: 11:00am - 5:00pm (Last admission at 4:00pm)
  • Closed Sundays and Mondays

Admission is not free and prices are as follows:

  • Adults £3.50
  • Children (ages 4 to 14) £2.50
  • Students (under 20) £2.50
  • OAPs £2.50
  • Family (2+2) £10.00
  • Concessions for Disabled Visitors £1.60

Admission to the shop is free.

The museum website states that the building has been adapted for wheelchair users but requests advanced notice if any member of a party requires wheelchair access. [10]

[edit] External links

[edit] Sources