Collections
The museum holds a collection of around 20,000 objects relating to Farnham and its surrounding area
The basis of the museum collection is social history material found in, produced in, or closely associated with, Farnham and its surrounding villages. These collections are divided broadly into the areas of Archaeology, Archives, Fine Art, Textiles and Social History.
Our collections are at the core of the Museum’s programme of activities, exhibitions, school sessions and loan box service within and outside the Museum building. The museum also uses its collections to provide opportunities for lifelong learning for locals, visitors and researchers from all over the world.
object donations
The Museum of Farnham’s mission is to connect people to the cultural heritage and history of Farnham, using the collections and historic site that we care for. We are an Accredited museum and have a Collection Development policy in place that balances our desire to preserve with the resources available.
The museum welcomes gifts of historic materials which will enrich the museum’s collection. All objects accepted into our care must meet at least one of the following criteria, with the majority fulfilling the first criterion:
- to document Farnham, its surroundings, and its environment
- to celebrate and respond to local people
- to provide inspiration for learning and creativity
After collecting for over 60 years, we must carefully consider all new additions. We will assess each object based on our Collections Development policy, and whether we have the correct resources to care for it. We do not accept every offer that we receive and are very unlikely to accept items that duplicate those in our collections.
Please contact us in advance before bringing any object to the museum. Any unsolicited items for donation will not be accepted, and drop-offs without an appointment will not be considered. If you bring an object to the museum, you will be asked to take it home with you. It is your property and your responsibility. If you post an object to the museum, it will be returned to you by post. We have a legal responsibility to return your property to you. We will dispose of objects posted to us without a return address.
If you still wish for your objects to be considered, please contact museum@farnhammaltings.com.
research enquiries
Due to restoration project being carried out to the front façade of our building, a large majority of our collection will be inaccessible for public research. Therefore, we are unable to support research requests or provide access to our collections and archives for the duration of the project. We hope to reopen access in autumn 2026.
Self-guided visits to the local studies library are welcome, which is open to visitors during normal museum opening hours.