Collections & Donations

Havering Museum collects and preserves objects which record the history of the area that is now the London Borough of Havering, making them accessible to a wide audience through exhibitions, events and activities and education programmes.

Object Donations

The Museum welcomes object donation offers from members of the public. However, as we have limited storage and display space for our collections, any offers must be carefully considered by our Collections & Exhibitions Team first.

New acquisitions must fulfil the following criteria:

• Evidence of being made or used in Havering
• Accompanied by supporting information, e.g. photographs or receipts
• Size, weight and condition will be taken into consideration

We are also restricted as to the types of material we can collect. We only collect artefacts rather than paper ephemera such as books, photographs, deeds and maps, etc, unless they are supporting material as mentioned above. Paper ephemera relating to Havering should first be offered to the Local Studies Centre at Romford Library.

You can read more about what the Museum does and does not collect in our
Collections Development Policy.

Artefacts not accepted for the permanent collections and paper ephemera may instead be considered for our Handling Collection.

If you would like to donate an object to the Museum, please fill out a Potential Object Donation Form and return it to the address given.

If you would prefer to loan your object to the Museum for a fixed period rather than donating it, please complete and return a Potential Object Loan Form instead.

We will aim to respond to you within four weeks.

Please do not bring any objects into the Museum without contacting a member of the Museum's Collections & Exhibitions Team first. For any other enquiries relating to the Museum's Collections,
please email: Collections@haveringmuseum.org.uk

Exhibitions

Havering Museum runs an extensive exhibitions programme showcasing a variety of subjects such as history, science, art and crafts.

Some of our exhibitions are entirely in-house productions supplemented by the kindly loan of artefacts from members of the public. The Museum also welcomes exhibitions from outside organisations. The Museum fosters a strong sense of community identity and pride in the achievements of local artists, organisations and persons from further afield.

What we can do for you

We can host both case, gallery and room-based exhibitions of different sizes, subject to availability. The spaces are free to hire, however, we do ask for a 10% commission on any art, craft and photography exhibitions where exhibits are sold by the exhibitor. Donations are always appreciated for other exhibitions.

Our Collections and Exhibitions Team can, by arrangement, design a poster for your exhibition, write and print labels and undertake basic conservation if necessary.

We will undertake some advertising of your exhibition on your behalf on social media platforms.

Please be aware that due to demand our schedule may already be booked for the year, but we will endeavour to offer you to earlier suitable exhibition time and space if we can.

If you are interested in holding an exhibition at Havering Museum, please direct all enquiries to the Museum's Collections and Exhibitions at:
exhibitions@haveringmuseum.org.uk

Loan Boxes

Havering Museum has a collection of themed boxes containing assorted original and replica handling and show-and-tell artefacts. These can be hired to support classroom learning, talks and other organised events.

Our Boxes

  • Archaeology
  • Tudor/Elizabethan
  • Victorian School
  • 20th Century
  • First World War
  • Second World War
  • Havering’s Local History
  • Traditional Toys
  • Health and Medicine

Our Collections & Exhibitions Team may also be able to produce a tailored box if required. We also have a selection of dressing-up material suitable for children which can be made up into a box if desired.

Each box can be hired by schools for up to one term at a time, subject to availability. Half a term costs £15+VAT, a full term £30+VAT. This equates to just £1+VAT per school day.

For talks, events and care home sessions the boxes can be hired for as little as a day at a time. For non-school borrowers, our hiring rate is £5+VAT per day.

Boxes are to be collected and returned by the participating school, company or individual from Havering Museum from Wednesday to Friday, 11.00 – 4.00pm.

Please contact a member of the Museum's Collections & Exhibitions Team for any enquiries relating to the Loan Boxes at:
Collections@haveringmuseum.org.uk