Welcome to the website of The Friends of Blake Museum, Bridgwater

(Registered charity no.1099815)

Museum Website

Museum hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10.00am to 4.00pm

The Museum re-opened on Wednesday 31 March 2010 after a shut-down lasting from mid November. During this time a new gallery of Bridgwater history was created, work to re-model the garden, and other essential work of repairs and redecoration was done. A hot-water heating system was installed as was a hearing-aid loop system on the meeting room. While this practical work was being done a team of volunteers undertook curatorial work, sorting and listing the collection as a preliminary to updating the Museum's catalogue.

Very many thanks to everyone involved in this work.

Email the Museum:
Queries: blake@bridgwatermuseum.org.uk.
The Museum office: secretary@bridgwatermuseum.org.uk.

The contact page on this website is for queries about the Museum Friends.

Temporary Exhibitions forthcoming
The Gallery
5 July- 30 August Children's artwork from the Irene exhibition

The Blake Room
5 July - 2 August Robert Blake the Sailor

The Meeting Room
3-28 August, Bridgwater Buildings, an exhibition arranged by the Bridgwater and District Civic Society. This is a competition to guess mystery photographs.
- October, dates TBA - The Bridgwater Way of Death, Graveyards and Cemeteries in Victorian Times.
- November, dates TBA - Carnival

BAND CONCERT DATES - ALL SUNDAYS FROM 2.00pm
25 July Ben Baddoo Drums and Percussion Squad
08 Aug Live'n'up (a selection of local youth talent
26 Sept The Bandstand Marathon, Taunton Concert Band

The Blake Museum was founded in 1926 by Bridgwater Borough Council. In April 2009 it was returned to the ownership of Bridgwater Town Council, from Sedgemoor District Council.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND KEY AIMS
Bridgwater Town Council Museum sub-Committee, has adopted the following Statement of Purpose of the Blake Museum.

The Blake Museum Bridgwater is established:

To rescue from loss and destruction the relics of our ancestors.

To collect, conserve and to show relics of history relating (principally but not exclusively) to Bridgwater and its immediate surroundings.

To show visitors that Bridgwater is not indifferent to its own history.

To interest visitors in what has happened in Bridgwater since it was granted its first Royal Charter in the reign of King John.

To give the townspeople of Bridgwater pride in their past.

To reveal that great events have taken place within the town and adjacent areas and set them in the context of the history of England.

To honour the lives of great men who have lived or been associated with the town, and, in particular but not exclusively, Robert Blake.

The Statement of Purpose is incorporated in the newly adopted Museum Acquisitions Policy.

Now that the Purpose of the Museum has been restated (and brought closely in line with the original purposes declared on its founding in 1926), we can move together to the next stage.

Please see the News Page for progress reports.