Free Entry for Local People to National Attraction

The museum, which has fantastic ratings of 4.7 on Facebook, 4.5 on Google and 4 on TripAdvisor, opened in 2015 and has since been awarded nationally styled accreditation. In the last few years, it has turned its focus to offer more activities and events for local people and families with free entry for residents being trialled at recent regular events including monthly Family Saturdays on the first weekend of the month and Mini Museum, a toddler play group on Thursday mornings.

Carys Coulton-Jones, Business Manager for Heritage and Culture at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “The Centre has flourished at these free events as a hub for local families. In these challenging times, we wanted to cement its place as somewhere in the heart of town where local people can feel welcome to come and spend time together, escape for a few eye-opening hours of discovery, or show it off to visiting friends and family.

“Newark’s history is so special and we really want local people to take pride in that. Our galleries cover the town’s central part in one of the country’s most significant conflicts, the Civil War, and we also have two rooms about the area’s history going all the way back to the Stone Age.”

Having received National Portfolio Organisation funding from Arts Council England from 2023 to 2026, the Centre is also beginning a mission to engage even more people in the community with culture. They are currently recruiting a group of young people to be cultural influencers helping to plan events and exhibitions and there are plans to bring a pop-up gallery to more isolated parts of the district as well.

The Centre is currently open from Wednesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm and from 30 May will also be open on Tuesdays. To find out more, visit their website or follow them on Facebook and for more information on young people getting involved, visit www.nationalcivilwarcentre.com/opendoors.