News Story
Exciting things are happening behind the scenes at Worthing Museum & Art Gallery and under the streets too!
A major milestone has been reached in the Worthing Heat Network: the Assembly Hall, Connaught Theatre & Studio, and the Museum & Art Gallery are now officially receiving heat from the Energy Centre.
As part of the upgrade, we’ve also replaced windows across our heritage sites, ensuring they maintain their original character while improving energy efficiency.
What’s Happening Inside the Museum
While the Museum & Art Gallery is temporarily closed, WTM has made incredible improvements, uncovering and treating the original wood floors, introducing bold colours as part of the redecoration and increasing bespoke lighting. Our curators have been busy reimagining the collection, rediscovering old treasures and preparing new displays that tell stories in a fresh and inspiring way.
Here’s what’s coming up:
Curator-Led Tours (from mid February 2026)
Be among the first to step back inside the Museum for a guided behind-the-scenes look at our reimagined spaces! Sign up for our dedicated Museum newsletter to find out when tickets go on sale!
Open26 Exhibition (Spring 2026)
Our much-loved biennial Open Exhibition opens in late March and showcases work from over 100 local artists. Artist sign-up opens the week commencing 3 November, so stay tuned for details!
Fashion Focus in Worthing Town Hall
Our 1930s Historic Dress display has been refreshed, celebrating Evening wear for the Autumn/Winter Season because Worthing has always been stylish.
This exhibition is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to make some of Worthing Museum's historic dress collection accessible while the museum is temporarily closed.
Partnerships & Collaboration
We're also working closely with our community and education partners to bring the museum story to life:
- Northbrook College students are helping craft bespoke props for our redisplay.
- Brighton University student placements are supporting projects on our Historic Dress Collection and Open26.
- We’re partnering with Figment Arts, a local community organisation, to help shape the display of our permanent collection, ensuring the Museum truly reflects the people of Worthing.
It’s an exciting time of change, creativity and collaboration, and we can’t wait to share more with you soon.
Don’t forget to sign up for our dedicated Museum newsletter for updates on exhibitions, events, and behind-the-scenes news.
“This transformation is about more than just a fresh coat of paint — it’s about reimagining how we connect our past with our present. The re-display gives us the chance to tell new stories, showcase more of our collection, and work hand-in-hand with the community that makes Worthing so special.”