Greenwich Heritage Centre facts for kids
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Artillery Square with the Old Royal Military Academy and Greenwich Heritage Centre
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| Established | October 2003 |
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| Location | Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, South East London |
| Public transit access | Woolwich Arsenal  .svg){kind=small} |
The Greenwich Heritage Centre was a special place in Woolwich, southeast London, England. It was like a museum and a library all in one, where you could learn about the history of the local area.
It was set up in 2003 by the local council, the London Borough of Greenwich. From 2014, a charity called the Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust took care of it. The centre was located in a very old building in Artillery Square. This area was part of the Royal Arsenal, a historic site where guns and military supplies were made for hundreds of years. The Greenwich Heritage Centre closed its doors in July 2018.
Contents
History of the Building
The Greenwich Heritage Centre was located in a group of buildings called New Laboratory Square. These buildings were also known as Building 41. The main part of the centre was in a former storehouse. This storehouse was designed by James Wyatt and built between 1783 and 1785.
The storehouse was built by the Board of Ordnance. It was used to keep naval supplies, like weapons and equipment for ships. Later, more storehouses were added around it, forming a square. This happened between 1808 and 1810.
By 1860, the whole area became a factory. It was used by the Royal Laboratory department. Workers there made wooden boxes and barrels. These were used to store and carry ammunition, gunpowder, and other military items. The west side of the building held wood. The east side had a sawmill and a cooperage, where barrels were made. A steam engine in the north part powered all the machines.
The entrance to the Greenwich Heritage Centre was in the south part of the square. This area used to be a workshop for carpenters. They assembled boxes and barrels there using machines. During the First World War, this space was used to make ammunition for small guns. Many women worked here during that time. Before the Royal Arsenal closed in 1994, much of the building was used for storage by Customs and Excise.
History of the Museum and Its Closure
The Greenwich Heritage Centre opened in October 2003. It brought together collections from the Greenwich Borough Museum. It also included items from the local history library. This library used to be at Woodlands House in Westcombe Park.
The council wanted to create a local history museum. They hoped it would help make the Royal Arsenal a nice place to live and visit. Before this, the Royal Artillery Museum had moved to a building at the Arsenal in 2001. It was then called Firepower – The Royal Artillery Museum.
New Laboratory Square, where the centre was, was repaired between 1999 and 2002. This work was done by English Partnerships and the London Development Agency. At first, the museum only used the west part of the building. It shared the south part with the Firepower museum. Firepower used the rest of the building for storage until it closed in 2016.
In 2014, a new charity was formed. It was called the Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust (RGHT). This charity took over managing the museum and its historical records. They also looked after other important heritage sites in the area. These included Charlton House and The Tudor Barn in Eltham.
In 2017, there were plans to create a large creative area nearby. This plan included a big auditorium for concerts in Building 41. The Greenwich Heritage Centre closed in July 2018. Many people felt this closure was sudden and without enough discussion.
The Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust moved the borough's historical records and museum items. They are now stored together in a facility in the Woolwich Dockyard area. The opening of this facility was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it was designed to remain unaffected by a new school planned for the road, unless road improvements follow. The Trust stated they would continue their research work.
Exhibitions
When the museum first opened, it had a main exhibition called "Inside the Arsenal." This exhibition told the story of the Royal Arsenal and the nearby Woolwich Dockyard. A special part of this exhibition was called Here Come The Girls. It celebrated the important role of women in Woolwich during wartime. This was especially true during the First World War.
In 2016, the Firepower museum closed. To fill the gap, a second main exhibition was set up. It was called Making Woolwich: The Royal Regiment of Artillery in Woolwich. This exhibition was in the south part of the building. It marked 300 years since the Royal Regiment of Artillery was formed in Woolwich in 1716. While the main focus was the Royal Artillery, some items also related to the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.
Besides these main exhibitions, the museum usually had one or two changing exhibitions each year. These often focused on a specific area in the borough. They might also cover a historical event or other interesting local topics. The temporary Berkeley Gallery was later replaced by the Making Woolwich exhibition.
See also
- Discover Greenwich Visitor Centre - which focuses on the Greenwich World Heritage Site
Images for kids
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Detail of the south range of New Laboratory Square
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The west range and the back of the Old Royal Military Academy
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East and north range
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East range; barrels would leave the first-floor by way of the round hole (left)
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Reception area. To the right the former Berkeley Gallery
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Local history section. Stairs to first floor
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Permanent exhibition Inside the Arsenal
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Permanent exhibition Making Woolwich
