Museum of Watford - The MoW

Museum of Watford - The MoW Join us on an exciting journey through history as Watford Museum goes on Tour!

📬 Stay connected with the Museum of Watford!Want to be the first to hear about upcoming events, behind-the-scenes projec...
23/06/2026

📬 Stay connected with the Museum of Watford!

Want to be the first to hear about upcoming events, behind-the-scenes projects, fascinating collection stories, volunteering opportunities, and everything happening as we prepare for our move to the Town Hall?

Sign up to MoW Monthly, our free monthly newsletter, and get the latest museum news delivered straight to your inbox.

✨ What’s on and upcoming events
🏛️ Behind-the-scenes museum updates
📚 Stories from the collection and local history
🙌 Ways to get involved and support the museum
🎨 Exclusive project updates and opportunities

Your museum. Your stories.

📧 Sign up today: https://www.watfordmuseum.org.uk/mow-monthly

💛 The Museum of Watford is made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players.

🖼️ How do you move a museum collection?Very carefully.As we prepare for our move to the Town Hall, our Collections Team ...
22/06/2026

🖼️ How do you move a museum collection?

Very carefully.

As we prepare for our move to the Town Hall, our Collections Team have been busy repacking and relocating objects within the current museum building. Every item needs to be carefully documented, handled and stored to ensure it remains safe throughout the process.

These photographs show our contractors Nic Haye of Haye Art Transport and Matthew Barker, Art Technician, helping us rehang works from the fine art collection as part of this work.

Meanwhile, our fantastic volunteers continue to work alongside our Collections Officer, cataloguing objects, updating records and helping prepare the collection for its next chapter.

It takes a lot of people, planning and expertise to move a museum, and we're incredibly grateful to everyone helping make it happen.

✨ Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes updates as we continue preparing Watford's collection for its new home.

💛 The Museum of Watford is made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players.

On Autistic Pride Day, we’re celebrating different ways of experiencing the world. 🌻Museums are for everyone, and there ...
18/06/2026

On Autistic Pride Day, we’re celebrating different ways of experiencing the world. 🌻

Museums are for everyone, and there is no single “right” way to explore them. Slow looking, following trails, using sensory aids, visiting alone or with others, taking breaks, or returning to a favourite object or story again and again - these are all wonderful and valid ways to engage with museum collections.

At the Museum of Watford, we are committed to creating spaces and programmes where all visitors feel respected, included, and welcome to connect with heritage in ways that work for them.

Happy Autistic Pride Day 🌈

What makes a museum visit feel accessible and enjoyable for you? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

💛 The Museum of Watford is made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery Players.

🍺 Happy National Beer Day! 🍺Before Watford's beer made it into your pint glass, it needed a barrel... and before there w...
15/06/2026

🍺 Happy National Beer Day! 🍺

Before Watford's beer made it into your pint glass, it needed a barrel... and before there was a barrel, there was a cooper.

Coopering is the traditional craft of making wooden barrels and casks by hand – a highly skilled trade that was once an important part of Watford's brewing industry. Becoming a master cooper wasn't easy either. Apprentices spent years learning the craft before earning the right to call themselves fully qualified.
This photograph captures a celebration marking the completion of a cooper's apprenticeship here in Watford – a proud moment after years of hard work and training.

🔨 Every barrel required dozens of stages to make and a whole host of specialised tools, all designed to be used by hand. We've shared just a few examples from the Museum of Watford collection.
Now for the important question...

👀 Can any coopering experts identify these tools? Let us know in the comments!

💛 The Museum of Watford is made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players.

🚶‍♀️ Discover Watford's History, One Step at a Time 🚶‍♂️Did you know you can explore Watford's fascinating past through ...
13/06/2026

🚶‍♀️ Discover Watford's History, One Step at a Time 🚶‍♂️

Did you know you can explore Watford's fascinating past through a series of free self-guided heritage trails?

We've partnered with TrailTale to create five walking routes that bring Watford's history to life through historic photographs, local stories, and hidden landmarks. Whether you're a lifelong resident or visiting for the first time, it's a great way to discover something new while getting your steps in.

Along the way you'll uncover stories including:

🏛️ The Market Hall that once stood in Market Place before being destroyed by fire in 1853

🛼 Watford's former roller skating rink on Clarendon Road, where visitors glided across wooden floors beneath gas and electric lights in the early 1900s

⛪ Church Street as it looked before the Victorian redevelopment that transformed the area around St Mary's Church

The trails also feature stories from our 100 People Who Made Watford project, celebrating some of the individuals who helped shape the town we know today.

📱 Download the TrailTale app and start exploring Watford's heritage in a whole new way.

💛 The Museum of Watford is made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players.

💛 Help Shape the Future of the Museum of Watford 💛We're looking for new Learning & Engagement Volunteers to join the Mus...
10/06/2026

💛 Help Shape the Future of the Museum of Watford 💛

We're looking for new Learning & Engagement Volunteers to join the Museum of Watford team!

As we prepare for our exciting move to the Town Hall, we're looking for volunteers who are passionate about people, learning and local heritage to help bring the museum to life through events, activities and community programmes.

You'll have the opportunity to:
✨ Support family activities, community events and festivals
✨ Help deliver our Museum on Tour programme across Watford
✨ Welcome and engage visitors of all ages
✨ Learn more about Watford's fascinating history and collections

No experience is necessary - just enthusiasm and a willingness to get involved. Full training will be provided.

Volunteering is flexible, with opportunities mainly on Fridays and weekends, requiring just a few hours twice a month over an initial three-month period.

Whether you're looking to gain experience, meet new people, develop new skills, or support your local museum, we'd love to hear from you.

👉 Apply now: https://www.watfordmuseum.org.uk/opportunities

💛The Museum of Watford is made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players.

🎭 Have you enjoyed a Rifco production at Watford Palace Theatre?Our cultural friends in Watford, Rifco Theatre Company, ...
09/06/2026

🎭 Have you enjoyed a Rifco production at Watford Palace Theatre?

Our cultural friends in Watford, Rifco Theatre Company, have been creating vibrant, accessible, high-quality theatre that represents and celebrates contemporary British-Asian and South Asian diaspora experiences for over 15 years.

This Saturday, they’re hosting a special Chai & Chat event to celebrate and capture memories from their time in Watford, including performances at Watford Palace Theatre.

Join Ameet Chana - known for his role as Tony in Bend It Like Beckham and now Rifco’s Associate Director - for an informal conversation with the Rifco team.

☕ Share your memories
🎭 Meet the team
🎟️ Receive two complimentary tickets to Rifco’s next production as a thank you for taking part
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chai-and-chat-with-rifco-team-tickets-1991367361384?aff=oddtdtcreator

📚 Today is International Archives Day 📚Archives help us preserve the stories, voices and experiences that have shaped ou...
09/06/2026

📚 Today is International Archives Day 📚

Archives help us preserve the stories, voices and experiences that have shaped our communities. They allow us to understand the past, challenge assumptions, and explore how people have worked together to create change.

This handmade badge from the Watford Senior Citizens Peace and Nuclear Disarmament Campaign, which will feature in the new museum, is a powerful reminder that history is often made by ordinary people. Made from simple cardboard, it represents the dedication, determination and activism of local residents who wanted their voices to be heard.

By preserving objects and records like these, archives ensure that these stories are not forgotten and can continue to inspire future generations.

Happy International Archives Day! ✨

💛 The Museum of Watford is made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players.

🏳️‍🌈 Thank you, Watford! 🏳️‍⚧️A huge thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday for A Place Without Prejudice as part...
06/06/2026

🏳️‍🌈 Thank you, Watford! 🏳️‍⚧️

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday for A Place Without Prejudice as part of our Museum on Tour programme.

It was wonderful to see so many people sharing stories, creating artwork, exploring LGBTQ+ histories, and contributing to our community display. Your creativity, conversations and reflections helped make the day something truly special.

We’d also like to extend our thanks to Proud Watford,Proud Hornetss, andHarlequin Watfordd for their support, enthusiasm and partnership in helping bring the event to life.

💛 Keep an eye on our social media channels over the coming weeks, where we’ll be announcing the winners of our Pride Month competition! 👀

Thank you for helping us create a place without prejudice.

💛 The Museum of Watford is made possible thanks toThe National Lottery Heritage Fundd, with thanks to National Lottery players.

💛 Looking for a new way to get involved in your community?Come and meet the Museum of Watford team at the Watford Volunt...
05/06/2026

💛 Looking for a new way to get involved in your community?

Come and meet the Museum of Watford team at the Watford Volunteers' Fair tomorrow!

Whether you're interested in local history, collections, events, community engagement, learning, research, or simply meeting new people, we'd love to chat about volunteering with the museum.

Volunteers play a vital role in everything we do, from caring for the collection and uncovering Watford's stories to supporting events and helping shape the future museum.

📅 Saturday 6 June
⏰ 10am–3pm
📍 Harlequin Watford (outside Puttshack)

Come and say hello, meet a range of fantastic local organisations, and discover how you can get involved in your community.

💛 The Museum of Watford is made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players.

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194 Lower High Street
Watford
WD172DT

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Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm

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