About Totnes Museum
About Totnes Museum
Totnes Museum is in a fascinating Elizabethan merchant's house built in around 1575 possibly for local merchant Walter Kellond though recently uncovered research calls this into question. There's always more to the story!
The Grade I listed building is owned by Totnes Town Council. It was bought by the Borough Council in 1958, extensively renovated and turned into the Museum. We celebrated the 450th anniversary of the house being built in 2025.
The Museum in this building first opened in 1961 - before then the museum collection was housed in the Guildhall. The building is probably the most important object in our collection and has many stories to tell.
We're a local Museum with many objects and stories, but we are connected to something much wider. The objects we display and their histories connect us to a shared past. History is not inert or static. It is alive and subjective and is determined by the teller.The more we think about history, the more we can reflect and make connections which open doors and have the power to change the way we think and act. Join us on this journey.
Totnes Museum Trust is an independent charitable organisation managed and run by its trustees. Together with volunteers we work to celebrate the stories, lives, objects and histories of Totnes to inspire the future.
If you'd like to get in touch with us, please email info@totnesmuseum.org
We reply to every enquiry.
Totnes Museum Trust
Totnes Museum Trust is the charitable organisation established to govern and run
Totnes Museum and Archive.
Its aim is to celebrate the people and town of Totnes – its stories, lives, objects, history and future – and to inspire, understand and learn about our place in the world.
The Trustees, who are also volunteers, work hard behind the scenes to ensure the ongoing operation of the Museum for future visitors to enjoy and learn from. In law, Trustees of the Board have three duties – compliance, care and prudence. In reality, trustees are very hands on.
We are looking for more trustees especially with finance skills, professional museum experience and the time to commit to supporting this Museum. If you are interested in finding out more about being a trustee for Totnes Museum, please email chair@totnesmuseum.org.
There's more information about the trustee role on the Association of Independent Museums webiste here: https://aim-museums.co.uk/being-an-effective-trustee/
Our Charity number is 1191791.
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