About Museums Essex
We are a team of museum workers that support Essex museums, galleries and heritage organisations. Our aim is to give guidance, share knowledge, share skills and financially support museum projects with our grants scheme.
We meet with our members quarterly at museums and heritage sites across the county and, with the support the county Museum Development Officer, deliver museum development activities across Essex. Any museum, gallery or heritage organisation in Essex can join.
To apply to join please contact Sarah Sinka.
Members’ meeting dates
- Friday 6 March 2026, 10:30am at the Essex Record Office
- Friday 5 June 2026, venue tbc
- Friday 4 September 2026, venue tbc
- Friday 4 December 2026, venue tbc
Museums Essex is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, our registration number is 1152493.
Member benefits
- Grants: We run an annual Small Grant scheme themed around different areas of museum work – members can apply for up to £500 a year!
- Disaster recovery: Your membership includes inclusive membership of Harwell Disaster Recovery Service, offering free and subsidised advice, equipment, and services in the unwelcome event of a museum emergency. This includes a fast response to an incident, stabilisation of objects, restoration, access to an advice line, site attendance for collections salvage, damage scoping survey, free freezer storage and free crate hire
- Meetings: We hold quarterly membership meetings to share knowledge, skills, host speakers and provide support.
- County MDO: We work closely with the Essex Museum Development Officer to support training and development opportunities for our members.
How much?
Our affordable annual membership fees are based on gross Museum income (excluding grants) of:
- £55 for income less than £10,000 per annum
- £85 for income between £10,000 – £50,000 per annum
- £120 for income between £50,000 – £150,000 per annum
- £250 for income over £150,000 per annum
Our trustees
- Polly Redman (Chair), Braintree District Museum Trust
- Dr Sarah Demelo (Vice Chair), Essex Collection of Art from Latin America
- Gordon Cummings (Treasurer), Fry Art Gallery
- Philip Wise, Colchester + Ipswich Museums
- Rob Sharp, Southend Museums
- Pauline Skerritt, Brightlingsea Museum
- Mark Curteis, formerly Chelmsford Museum
- Sarah Sinka, Essex Museum Development Officer
Our members
Explore some of the exciting projects our members are delivering on our Projects page!
- Bata Heritage Centre
- Boxted Airfield Museum
- Braintree District Museum and Warner Textile Archive
- Brentwood Museum
- Brightlingsea Museum
- Burnham Museum
- Canvey Island Transport Museum
- Cart and Wagon Shed
- The Cater Museum
- Chelmsford Museum
- Coggeshall Museum
- Colchester Museums
- Colne Valley Railway
- Combined Military Services Museum
- Copped Hall Trust
- Dawn Sailing Barge Trust
- Earls Colne Heritage Museum
- East Anglian Railway Museum
- Epping Forest District Museum
- Essex Collection of Art from Latin America
- Essex County Council (Cressing Temple Barns; Jaywick Martello Tower)
- Essex Fire Museum
- Essex Police Museum
- Feering & Kelvedon Local History Museum
- Frinton and Walton Heritage Trust
- Fry Art Gallery
- Harlow Art Trust
- Harlow Museum and Walled Gardens
- Harwich Museum
- Ingatestone Museum
- The Jazz Centre UK
- Maldon Museum in the Park
- Manningtree Museum
- Mersea Museum
- Munnings Art Museum
- Museum of Power
- National Jazz Archive
- North Weald Airfield Museum
- Paycockes House and Garden (National Trust)
- Peter Edwards Museum & Library
- RAF Bradwell Bay
- Rayleigh Town Museum
- Rowhedge Heritage Trust
- Royal Gunpowder Mills
- Saffron Walden Museum
- Scouts Association and Heritage Collection
- Southend Museums
- Southend Pier Museum
- Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome
- St Osyth Museum
- Thaxted Parish Council – Thaxted Windmill
- Thurrock Museum
- Tiptree Jam Museum
- We Are The Minories
- Wivenhoe Chapel Museum
Museums Essex 