[Albion] Brighton & Hove Albion Museum

[Sue1983]

When I went to see the Europa Exhibition I was charged a reduced charge of £7 for an annual ticket as I was a STH.

Apparently if you are a local resident the annual ticket charge is £7 for an Adult.

 

[AZ Gull]

....

The proof the pudding will be visitor numbers though. How popular is the current museum? What are the current visitor numbers?

Assuming you are talking here about the Albion museum at the Amex - it is my understanding it hasn't actually been accessible for years. Almost from day one I believe there has been disappointment at how the club has managed the museum.

It should be pointed out that the idea for the museum came originally from Tim Carder (and, more generally, the Brighton and Hove Albion Heritage Society). In fact, that Society was created in the late 90s with the express aim of safeguarding the history of the club and historic items connected with it.

Their aim was always to establish an Albion museum at a longed-for new stadium back in the city.

When the Amex was built the club did provide a space for the museum but the museum itself is the product of the Society. I believe for a while the stadium tours ended at the museum but outside of that it has never been generally accessible. A huge, HUGE wasted opportunity, unfortunately.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Assuming you are talking here about the Albion museum at the Amex - it is my understanding it hasn't actually been accessible for years. Almost from day one I believe there has been disappointment at how the club has managed the museum.

It should be pointed out that the idea for the museum came originally from Tim Carder (and, more generally, the Brighton and Hove Albion Heritage Society). In fact, that Society was created in the late 90s with the express aim of safeguarding the history of the club and historic items connected with it.

Their aim was always to establish an Albion museum at a longed-for new stadium back in the city.

When the Amex was built the club did provide a space for the museum but the museum itself is the product of the Society. I believe for a while the stadium tours ended at the museum but outside of that it has never been generally accessible. A huge, HUGE wasted opportunity, unfortunately.

Yes, I did mean the Albion museum at the AMEX.

Not opening it seems odd. I have never seen anything on the club website advertising it either. To be fair, I haven’t looked but most things the club wants to you to be aware of they advertise.

Seems like an alternative location will be a good thing for a few reasons.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Yes, I did mean the Albion museum at the AMEX.

Not opening it seems odd. I have never seen anything on the club website advertising it either. To be fair, I haven’t looked but most things the club wants to you to be aware of they advertise.

Seems like an alternative location will be a good thing for a few reasons.

It used to be the final visit in a stadium tour. It was when I did it.

I know Tim asked for volunteers to man the museum so it could open but was turned down by the club.

 

[AZ Gull]

Yes, I did mean the Albion museum at the AMEX.

Not opening it seems odd. I have never seen anything on the club website advertising it either. To be fair, I haven’t looked but most things the club wants to you to be aware of they advertise.

Seems like an alternative location will be a good thing for a few reasons.

It used to be the final visit in a stadium tour. It was when I did it.

I know Tim asked for volunteers to man the museum so it could open but was turned down by the club.

In the early years of the stadium I think it might have been open on a Wednesday and a Saturday morning, but it probably had very little footfall at those times. I don't think it was ever open around matchdays.

I suspect one of the problems was that although the space was provided by the Albion, it was never a club project and so there was never any real impetus to manage it accordingly. It needed a curator or similar paid position within the club to press for its ongoing maintenance and future development which just never happened.

Although it is probably a good thing that it gets relocated elsewhere (at least it will be accessible; as of now it might as well not exist at all), it would seem an admission of failure on the part of the club to embrace its own history. Given that they have shown almost zero interest in this asset in the 14 years it has been under their noses, I'm not holding out any hope that they even give it a second thought once it moves elsewhere.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The 1901 Club section of the new museum sounds good. Exhibits will include a vintage free tea from the 2013/2014 season, an interactive installation where 1901 Club members can literally look down on other supporters, the recreation of the actual edible meal Sodexo made in 2012 but the centre-piece is a replica coat rail which Paul Barber promised in 2012.

For the “Football Fashion through the seasons” exhibition, Herr Tubthumper has kindly loaned the museum a range of man-bags from his personal collection.