Collection: Seaford Museum

Collection-level records:

• Collection history (Collection development policy)

  In 1970 a group of people, who belonged to a local history society, wanted to set up a museum. An event displaying pictures was set up and residents were invited to attend and to bring information and items of local interest. The proceeds from this event allowed for the purchase of a caravan and the birth of Seaford Museum. It was subsequently possible to move into a temporarily empty building where the Museum grew with community support. In 1978 the Museum became the first tenants, at a peppercorn rent, of the newly renovated Martello tower, which was owned by Seaford Town Council.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2022

  Licence: CC BY-NC

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  As of January 2022, there are 9648 three-dimensional items in the collections, all of which have been accessioned, in addition to large archive collections, of which over 25,000 documents have been accessioned. The collections fall into three main categories:

  • Documents and photographs relating to the history of the town and port of Seaford, Sussex, and its environs.
  • Items relating to the archaeology, geology and a natural history of the town and port of Seaford, Sussex, and its environs.
  • Objects that relate to the social, maritime and military history of the town and port of Seaford, Sussex, and its environs.

  Particular strengths of the collections include material from several local shops, early domestic electrical equipment, office machinery, radios and television sets. An important part of the archive collections is a large quantity of house particulars donated by a local estate agent and which give an unusually good picture of housing and development in Seaford.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2022

  Licence: CC BY-NC