Windsor and Royal Borough Museum celebrates Heritage Open Days

A Windsor museum is contributing to the annual Heritage Open Days celebrations through a series of virtual tours.

Heritage Open Days, which runs from September 11 – 20, is England’s input into European Heritage Days and the Windsor and Royal Borough Museum is playing its part by taking visitors on an online tour of the Guildhall and its treasures.

One online tour will guide guests through the history of the borough while the other explores the upstairs rooms of the 17th Century Guildhall.

“Viewers will have a chance to see the numerous royal portraits contained in the Guildhall chamber, as well as other objects from the Royal Borough’s Civil Collection,” said museum, arts and local studies officer Becky Tabrar.

The tour will also include insights into the important events which shaped the Guildhall.

During the pandemic the museum team launched a podcast exploring hidden histories of the Royal Borough and a ‘Minute Wonder’ YouTube series highlighting museum’s collection of objects.

“Throughout the pandemic, we asked people to submit photos of objects that are important to them and we are now making an online exhibition that will be comprised of these,” said Becky.

“We have also launched the Royal Borough Memory Box Facebook page to collect resident’s memories, reflections, photos and creative responses to the pandemic, and there we will be further announcements on this project coming soon,” she added.

The museum has remained closed to viewers since March despite the Government giving museums, galleries and historic houses permission to reopen on July 4.

A petition to reopen the Windsor and Royal Borough Museum has received 95 signatures but the doors remain closed.

Chris Joyce, head of infrastructure, sustainability and economic growth, said: “The council has taken the decision corporately not to fully reopen any of our customer service facilities such as the libraries, museums and tourist information centre at this time. 

“The primary reason for this is the safety and wellbeing of our staff and customers.  During this time we are taking the opportunity to review our service and operating models across all council services to ensure they are best meeting future needs in these changing times.”