Horsham Museum shuts from Monday 7 September until 5 January for roof repairs. Saturday 5 September is the last day in, and everything on ends then.

Horsham Museum closes for roof repairs on Monday 7 September 2026. It will not reopen until Tuesday 5 January 2027, a shutdown of almost four months. The work will replace deteriorated stonework on the roof of the Grade II* listed building that houses the collection (HDC, 20 August 2026; museum blog).

That leaves a fortnight to visit. The museum opens Tuesday to Saturday and on every day of a bank holiday weekend, so Saturday 5 September is the last day it is open before the shutters go up (opening hours). Every exhibition and trail currently running ends that same day.

Why the roof needs work

Timeline graphic of the Horsham Museum roof closure. August 2026: specialist contractors appointed. Saturday 5 September 2026: last day open, and the closing date of all four current exhibitions and trails. Monday 7 September 2026: museum closes, artefacts moved to secure storage, three galleries refurbished. December 2026: Christmas shopping events on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Tuesday 5 January 2027: museum reopens.
Graphic by Horsham Daily, from Horsham District Council and Horsham Museum, 20 August 2026.
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The council appointed specialist contractors in August 2026 to assess and repair parts of the roof where sections of the stonework have deteriorated. The building is Causeway House at 9 Causeway, and the council describes it as Grade II* listed with parts dating back to the 15th century, which is why the repair needs conservation specialists rather than an ordinary roofing firm.

The work covers a significant section of the roof, and that makes the galleries underneath unusable while it goes on. Artefacts on display in those rooms are being moved into secure storage and into exhibition space elsewhere in the building.

Cllr Mark Baynham, the council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for finance, said: “We are sorry that the Museum will need to close temporarily and appreciate that many visitors will be disappointed. However, these repairs are vital to protect our visitors, staff, collections and this important historic building.”

The council has not published a cost for the project or named the contractors, and we will report both when they appear.

What is on before it closes

Four things are running at the museum now, and all of them finish on or before the last opening day (full listings):

  • Museum of Time: An Astrophotography Trail, images by Claire Bradshaw FRAS on the life cycles of stars, until 5 September. Guided tours run at 11am on Saturday 22 and Saturday 29 August.
  • Safa M Sharif: An Artisanal Jeweller, a studio display by a Horsham-based jeweller, until 5 September.
  • Dinosaur Discovery, a children’s trail, until 5 September.
  • The Young Curators’ Club: The Great Fire of London, until 29 August.

Two more things fall inside the window. A Museum Late with the Betty Accorsi Duo opens the building from 6pm to 8pm on Friday 21 August, and the Making History Craft Challenge offers a different craft each week for children until 28 August. The museum is also open across the August bank holiday weekend, Saturday 29 to Monday 31 August.

What happens during the closure

The council is using the four months for more than roof tiles. Three galleries are being refurbished: a new costume gallery, a refreshed Age of Discovery gallery covering Horsham in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and a new introductory space for visitors arriving at the front door.

The museum will not be entirely dark. It plans Christmas shopping events on Wednesdays and Saturdays in December, with details still to be announced. Progress on the roof will be posted on the museum blog.

What it means for you

If you were going to take children or visitors to the museum this autumn, move it forward. The practical points:

  • Last day open: Saturday 5 September 2026. Normal hours are 10am to 4pm, Tuesday to Saturday.
  • Closed: Monday 7 September 2026 to Tuesday 5 January 2027.
  • The nearest car parks are Denne Road and Forum, both run by the district council. See our guide to parking in Horsham for tariffs and time limits.
  • The museum is a half-mile walk from Horsham railway station and a short walk from the bus station.
  • Bookings for school visits, the memory box loan service and research enquiries all go through the museum team on 01403 254 959 or museum@horsham.gov.uk.

For the autumn, the district’s other museums stay open: Amberley Museum, Henfield Museum, Steyning Museum and Storrington Museum are all listed by Horsham Museum itself as places to go instead. More ideas are on our guide to things to do in Horsham.

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