Our mission statement is to ‘engage people with their past, present and future by collecting, preserving and presenting selected and significant objects from the history of Elmbridge, for the purposes of learning and enjoyment.’ In June 2014, Elmbridge Museum closed the doors of its permanent gallery to the public and became an outreach museum. We are continuing to provide an active and vibrant Museum service that meets the needs of our various local audiences. We are using the Museum collections more actively to produce positive impacts with and in the local community.
Elmbridge Museum initially opened in 1909 as the Museum for Weybridge, and has operated as Elmbridge Museum since 1974.
The origins of the Museum dates back to the late 1800s. The Weybridge Literary and Mutual Improvement Society was formed to inspire ‘the artisans and working class of the village’, which they sought to do through public exhibitions.
In 1909 the Weybridge Urban District Council opened the Museum for Weybridge, dealing initially only with the Weybridge area. The remit widened to include Walton following the political amalgamation of the Walton and Weybridge Urban District Councils. Eventually the collection of the Walton based museum, established by Mr Percy Webb, was moved to Weybridge after the Second World War. Following the war the Museum reopened on the first floor of the original building, as the Weybridge Library moved in downstairs.