Hitchin Museum and Art Gallery facts for kids
The Hitchin Museum and Art Gallery was a museum in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England. It had many items that told the story of the town's past. It also showed how local jobs helped the town become successful.
About the Hitchin Museum
How it Started
The Hitchin Museum began in 1939. It was started by a group called the Hitchin & District Regional Survey Association. They used a house that was given to them by Ralph and Hubert Moss, who were grocers in the town. This house was built way back in 1825.
The building first opened as a Public Library in 1939. Then, in 1941, the top floor became the Museum. The library is now in a building next door. At first, the Hitchin Urban District Council ran the museum. Later, the North Hertfordshire District Council took over in 1974. They also looked after the Letchworth Museum and Art Gallery.
Why it Closed
Around 2004 and 2005, the North Hertfordshire District Council looked closely at its museum services. They found that people really liked the Hitchin Museum and Art Gallery. However, both the Hitchin and Letchworth museums were described as "unfit for purpose." This meant the buildings were not good enough for a modern museum.
Because of this, they decided to close both museums. The plan was to open one new, bigger museum in a single town-centre spot. They studied the idea of changing Hitchin Town Hall into a museum. The new museum, called the North Hertfordshire Museum, opened its doors in July 2019.
