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A registered charity that promotes, supports, assists and helps improve the Willis Museum in Basingstoke.

About The Friends

The Friends were founded as a Registered Charity in 1978 with the object of promoting, supporting, assisting and improving the Willis Museum.

We currently have a membership of approaching 100 and if you wish to know more about membership – Become a Friend.  We are members of BAfM – British Association of Friends of Museums

The Friends meet at 7.30pm in the Archaeology Gallery at the Museum on the third Thursday of each month, except August and December, to enjoy a programme of talks, normally with a local history theme. To get further details click on Friends’ Monthly Meeting & Programme.

The Friends raise funds to help the Museum to acquire relevant exhibits and to improve the facilities. A major project at the present time is helping to fund an upgrade of the local history gallery – known as the “Time Tunnel”. You can see some of the Things we have contributed over the years.

In addition to our monthly meetings we mount the occasional exhibition, arrange outings and hold social gatherings.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we provide volunteers for the Museum to help staff the front of house services, staff the local resources study room and provide additional help whenever necessary.

You can examine our full Constitution and can read a brief history of the Friends by clicking on these links.

Engraved silver salver Basingstoke Museum