Hitchin Museum and Art Gallery facts for kids
The Hitchin Museum and Art Gallery was a special place in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England. It was a history museum that showed the story of the town. It had many items that told about Hitchin's past and the old jobs that helped the town grow.
History of the Museum
The Hitchin Museum started in 1939. It was created by a group called the Hitchin & District Regional Survey Association. Two local grocers, Ralph and Hubert Moss, gave a house for the museum. This house was built in 1825.
The building first opened as a public library in 1939. Then, in 1941, the top floor became the museum. The library later moved to a new building next door. The museum was first managed by the Hitchin Urban District Council. After 1974, the North Hertfordshire District Council took over. They also managed other museums nearby.
Why the Museum Closed
Around 2004 and 2005, the council looked closely at its museum services. They found that people really liked the Hitchin Museum and Art Gallery. Visitors also enjoyed the education programs and other services. However, the museum buildings in Hitchin and Letchworth were old. They were not suitable for a modern museum anymore.
Because of this, the council decided to make a change. They planned to close the two old museums. Instead, they wanted to open one new, bigger museum in a central location. They studied the idea of using Hitchin Town Hall for this new museum. The new museum, called the North Hertfordshire Museum, opened its doors in July 2019.
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