Colchester museum to now charge for entry as council tightens its belt

Visitors to Hollytrees Museum, in Castle Park, will now be required to a pay a “modest” admission fee as of April 1.

Adults including seniors will pay £5, students with a valid ID card will pay £4, children aged 4 to 16 will pay £3.50 with a £1.75 cost for each additional child, children under four will be free, and concessions will pay £4. 

The new cost is part of Colchester Council’s Fit for the Future programme, which aims to save the authority £6.262 million in the next three years while protecting core services.

The building's visitor information centre, however, will remain free of charge to access.

Elegant - The museum is a Georgian house built in 1718 (Image: Norman Lamb)

According to council documents released this year, charging for entry could help the authority earn between £80,000 and £100,000 a year.

However, it is also feared introducing the fee could slash visitor numbers in half from 40,000 to 20,000 a year.

Councillor Michelle Burrows, portfolio holder for leisure, culture and heritage, said: “We’ve already managed to identify a lot of savings and efficiencies.

"But we also need to raise extra income, where we can, to help close the budget gap we face and ensure we can continue to deliver services residents need and value."

A cost of £5 for adults alongside family offers was previously considered at the museum.

It was also proposed museums in the city and Colchester Castle could become part of a charitable trust which could save the council more than £100,000.

Ms Burrows has added visitors will have the choice of a one-off ticket or yearlong museum pass which would give guests access to all three of Colchester’s museums – part of the Colchester and Ipswich Museums.

She added: “By visiting Hollytrees Museum or purchasing a Museum Pass, you will be helping to sustain and maintain Colchester’s heritage attractions."

Distinctive - Hollytrees Museum as seen in October from the High Street (Image: Newsquest)

Located within Castle Park and a short walk from Colchester Castle, Hollytrees Museum is housed in an elegant Georgian townhouse, proudly representing Colchester's history.

The museum provides an insight into social history with notable exhibits including an “extraordinary dolls house” replicating the building and its occupants in 1901, a stunning clock collection, and an extensive collection of toys and domestic items.

Hollytrees first became a museum in 1929 and was first built in 1718.