Margate Old Town Image: Hawkinge Gazette
The council is developing a strategy for the future of its museums in partnership with specialist team Haley Sharpe Design made possible with support from Arts Council England. Feedback received from the public engagement will help to inform this strategy.
Residents and visitors are invited to give feedback on Thanet District Council’s owned and managed museums via an online survey. The period of public engagement begins on Monday 29 January.
The museums included in the strategic review are the Dickens House Museum in Broadstairs, and the Margate Museum and Tudor House in Margate.
The online survey is open from Monday 29 January until 5pm on Friday 16 February 2024, and should take around 10 minutes to complete. The survey can be accessed via Your Voice Thanet, the council’s public engagement platform, and on the council’s consultation webpage. Paper copies of the survey will be available for collection from the Visitor Information Centre, Droit House, Margate.
Cllr Ruth Duckworth, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Property, said:
“Museums have an important role to play in the district’s cultural and heritage offer. Each museum has its own displays, collections and unique stories to tell.
“The strategic review will add to our understanding of how our council-run museums fit into the district’s broader cultural offering for residents and visitors. I would urge people, whether they’re passionate about museums or haven’t visited one in many years, to complete the online survey. A wide range of feedback will really help us to see the full picture.”
Alongside the strategic review, the council has commissioned full structural surveys of the three museum buildings, including estimated costs for repair works. The surveys will inform the level of capital investment needed to bring the museums up to modern standards.