As of Monday 9th September 2024, the museum regrets to announce that we have now enforced a temporary pause on accepting future research enquiries. 

During the past year the research service has proved to be so popular that a backlog has built up and it will take us several months to respond to these Enquiries so we are pausing to allow the research team of two part-time volunteers to clear the backlog. Our enquiries are answered by a very hardworking and diligent group of volunteers, however we only have a very small team. This temporary pause with enquiries will also enable us to catch up on all those that are currently unanswered and will ensure that we eliminate our backlog. We will also be able to train more volunteers, meaning that we will be a much larger and more efficient team once we re-open our system.

Additionally, from October 2024 until Spring 2025, the museum is undergoing a large-scale redevelopment project, which will transform our galleries and modernise the way in which we tell our story. This project is the largest overhaul the museum has undergone since opening in 1982 and, as such, will involve a large amount of our time, resources and manpower. 

We deal with enquiries in chronological order of receipt. If you have submitted an enquiry and received an acknowledgment, you may be assured that the pause does not affect your order nor its place in the queue. We will deal with it and respond as its turn arises. 

As a team, we apologise for any disappointment that this may cause and ask for your understanding.