History 

The museum was opened in June 1986, and is housed in what were the stables of the King’s Head Inn that was demolished in 1885, although it has had a somewhat chequered history since that time.

In 1988 the building was extended by adding four further rooms in three phases. Two rooms were added in 1991 under phase 1 and thanks to support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Regional Development Fund, phases 2 & 3, two further rooms, were completed in the spring of 2005.

The collection is formed from items received from residents of the town, and the immediate surrounding area, together with items from further afield that have a link with this region.  A proportion of the displays are changed on an annual basis as it is impossible to show the entire collection at the same time in the space available. To make the collections more accessible we have developed this website where you can search the collections online and visit the four exhibitions in the online galleries to learn more about specific aspects of Kington’s past.

The museum aims to show the history of the town through local eyes. However, it often includes national events where these have had an impact on the town and its inhabitants.  In this category fall the two world wards, the celebration of royal events or other national festivities – such as Mafeking Day.