7th March 2006 RBWM Press Release
The treasures and antiquities that make up the Royal Borough Museum Collection are to have a new showcase in the heart of the community linking with the local studies collection in the council's library service.
Key elements of the Town & Crown exhibition will move from 24 High Street to Windsor Library in Bachelors Acre, where it will be possible for the Friends of the Royal Borough Museum Collection to present the area's rich heritage in a central and accessible location.
The move will have the added advantage of enabling closer working with the local studies service, which has thousands of books, maps, photographs and cuttings to complement the museum's stock and allow greater scope for exhibitions and displays.
Cllr Richard Fagence, lead member for leisure and cultural services, welcomed the new arrangements as a positive step forward for both the heritage and library services. He said: "The borough's library and information service already has a strong local studies collection. By relocating elements of the Town & Crown there will be new opportunities for the two to work closer together to create an effective and accessible heritage and local studies centre for the entire community."
The positive move has been supported by the Friends of the Royal Borough Museum Collection, who were commended for their dedication by Cllr Fagence. He added: "We are very fortunate to have such a hard-working band of people to help the council keep our heritage service alive and relevant. I take my hat off to them for their enthusiasm and the generous way they give their time to the service."
The change in direction for the Town & Crown follows a mutual decision by the council and the Friends (through their joint heritage centre working group) not to go ahead with plans for a small heritage centre in space provided on the new East Berkshire College campus.
Julian Grindell, vice principal for East Berkshire College, said: "This is good news for the Royal Borough and doesn't impact on our new college building in St Leonard's Rd. We wish the borough every success with the move and will continue to work closely with them on future projects."
Beryl Hedges, chairman of the Friends of the Royal Borough Museum, said the library would give the volunteers a stronger local base in a building which already attracted more than 120,000 customers a year customers who would soon be able to enjoy heritage displays as well as using library services.
She said: "This will now create the opportunity for a massive fund-raising project for the Friends to obtain premises for a museum for Windsor instigated by Dr Brigitte Mitchell, secretary of the Friends."
Arrangements for the move are currently being worked out by the council in conjunction with the heritage development officer and full details will be made available as soon as possible.
It appears to be a step in the right direction, but hardly a museum, is it!!







