Record visitor numbers for Bewdley Museum in 2018

A record-breaking, 204,000 people visited Bewdley Museum last year.

The museum, located in the Georgian town of Bewdley, is managed by Wyre Forest District Council and attracts visitors from all over the country with a varied programme of events, exhibitions and workshops.

Last year, Bewdley Museum re-opened its doors in March by showcasing 19^th century East Asian relics alongside martial art performances and traditional music.

Following on from the successful East Asian exhibition the popular Cherry Fair and 1940s weekend took place in July 2018. Alongside large scale events, Bewdley Museum hosts regular sessions to keep the whole family busy including: yoga, dance and crochet workshops.

The museum has also become a popular place for couples to tie the knot, hosting a growing number of wedding ceremonies in the Guildhall.

Last August the museum was listed in the top five heritage sites in the West Midlands after being awarded a near perfect score following a secret shopping exercise by national research company Service Science.

A team of secret shoppers anonymously visited, called and contacted the museum in a number of ways, submitting questions and enquiries in person, by phone, social media and email to evaluate the overall look and accessibility of the museum, eventually awarding the museum an amazing score of 95.4 out of 100.

The museum will re-open for a new season on Saturday 2 March with a new exciting programme of exhibitions, tactile displays and events and attractions across the site, including its own herb garden. Bewdley Museum’s shop re-opens less than a month earlier on Monday 4 February.

The museum’s re-opening on Saturday 2 March will feature live music from the Hotsy Totsy jazz band and a children’s entertainer. The museum’s cafe will also re-open under new management offering a delicious hot and cold menu.

For more information on what’s going on at Bewdley Museum in 2019 visit www.bewdleymuseum.co.uk.

Councillor Juliet Smith, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Community Protection said: "Bewdley Museum went from strength to strength in 2018. It’s fantastic to see that the Museum’s wide variety of events, exhibitions and workshops are popular with people both inside and outside the district. It is also great to see that the Museum continues to support and offer an array of community activities and projects. The Museum also proved to be huge success for weddings in 2018 with many couples choosing the historic Guildhall as a wedding ceremony venue. The Heritage wedding brand has attracted a lot of interest and many more weddings are scheduled to take place in 2019.

“Being recognised as one of the top five heritage sites in the West Midlands is a truly remarkable achievement made possible by the Museum’s hard working staff and volunteers. I am certainly looking forward to another exciting year for the Museum. Come and join us for the opening on Saturday 2 March for the free entertainment and don’t forget, the shop opens a month earlier on Monday 4 February."