PLANS FOR THE FUTURE - 1

We have now achieved most of our plans for Phase 2 of the new development downstairs: new beech Reception desk, matching book-shelves for the second-hand books and halogen display lighting throughout the ground floor. We have installed a magnetic catch on the fire door at the top of the stairs, which makes entering and leaving the first floor galleries much easier and makes it all feel more welcoming.

More recently, we completed the installation of a new glass lobby with sliding door so that we can have the street door open during visitor hours without draughts, dirt and heat loss (see photo below), and we have refurbished our exterior signage in our smart new blue and white livery. Still awaiting funds is a new carpet throughout the ground floor.

Phase 3 is a little more ambitious and is based around our plan to build a single story extension (subject to the necessary permissions) to house an Education/Meeting Room where parties, adult as well as children, can be introduced to the Museum and other special activities can take place. The new Education Room will also double as a Video Theatre with a video of the upstairs galleries for those who are unable to climb the stairs and a choice short videos of different research themes which have featured in earlier special exhibitions (eg The Thames, Malting & Brewing, Famous Families...). Also in the extension will be toilets, one fully equipped for disabled use, a kitchen and additional storage for our growing Collection. During opening hours the extension (which will include flat-floor external access) will be a fully integrated part of the Museum but out-of-hours it could be isolated from the rest of the building and let out for hire.

Let's take a tour of how the main Museum will look once the extension is built. Let’s start DOWNSTAIRS.

During opening hours, the front door will always be hooked back so that potential visitors can have a tantalising glimpse of what’s inside and, importantly, see welcoming custodians behind their new Reception Desk. Also in this area, and with free access, is the Museum Shop with new publications on local history, mementoes and an ever-changing range of second-hand books.

Visitors will begin their tour by passing through a new doorway to be reopened which will allow for a one way flow in this area. This will lead them into the Prehistoric & Roman Gallery, introducing the visitor to the early history Before the Town. Then visitors will be directed to go upstairs to The Wallingford Story exhibition. For the Upstairs plan click here.

When they return downstairs, visitors can visit a new gallery which will feature Famous Wallingfordians - including clockmaker Richard of Wallingford, Judge and teacher Sir William Blackstone, agricultural revolutionary Jethro Tull, the famous Victorian painters of the Hayllar and Leslie families and, of course, Agatha Christie, who lived in Winterbrook and is buried in Cholsey Churchyard.

Access to the new Extension will be from this Gallery.

The tour continues with a brand new Gallery illustrating How the Town Grew - an overview of the development of Wallingford from before the Saxon burh to the Norman Borough and beyond to the 21st century. This will encompass the results of From Burh to Borough, an ongoing research project to study the effects of the Norman invasion on the Saxon town of Wallingford which is potentially of international importance.

Finally, the attractive front room will continue to be our Special Exhibition Gallery, featuring with a new display on a different theme at least once a year.

Then we hope our visitor will want to browse through the Museum Shop before departing, perhaps purchasing a copy of our Historic Wallingford - a Walk-Round Guide which will enable them to enjoy the town and experience first-hand some of the history they've just learned about.

If you haven't yet looked at the first floor plans, now click here.