Located in the “Old Town” on Queen Street, Filey Museum is re-opening on Saturday, 4 April after being closed for nearly two years for a much-needed building refurbishment by its owner, Filey Town Council. 

The opening weekend will see one of Filey’s most magical legends come alive – The Filey Dragon – reminding us of bravery, community spirit, and the power of coming together which seems the perfect way to mark the re-opening.  There will be dragon-themed activities and stories, and guided tours of the downstairs and limited access to the garden.  The upstairs is not yet open to the public as volunteers continue to review the artefacts, assess their provenance, clean, repair and refurbish them.  

“We are very excited to be opening the doors although access will be limited initially,” explains volunteer curator Lottie Beard.  “We will have a new Gansey Exhibit, and we will also be sharing our plans for the space with visitors, which we are very excited about.” 

In addition, the museum is marking its 55-year milestone of preserving and sharing local history with a “Memory Wall”.  Inviting people to send their special memory and stories – from a holiday, a tradition or favourite seaside moment – of what make Filey unique. These can then be shared, read and listened to throughout the season.

It has been a challenging time for the trustees and volunteers.  In addition to converting to a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation), the discovery of woodworm and moth infestation in the collection was an unwelcome surprise. The unpacking had to be halted while trustees looked for urgent funding for the pest control treatment.  In addition, the garden had become overgrown with artefacts severely damaged and areas being unsafe.  The trustees were fortunate to have the support of Filey Town Council as well as Filey in Bloom and Friends of Filey Parks whose volunteers cleared out the overgrowth.  But there is much more to do.  There are plans currently awaiting funding to create an accessible outside area for visitors to explore and enjoy.

The museum is looking at different ways to raise funds from the public including sponsorship of plaques, artefacts, exhibits and rooms, and a simple “donate” button on the website.  “We have been knocked back a few times with recent grant funding applications, but we are persevering!” says volunteer trustee and new treasurer, Melissa Hill. “Not only do we need to plan on how to display the collection, but we also need funding to repair and display them.”

Filey museum has been an award-winning, volunteer-managed attraction and considered a “hidden gem” of Filey however, it lost museum accreditation in 2015.  Volunteer trustee and chair Rachael Black states, “In order to become an award-winning museum again we need to be accredited – something which is high on the “to-do” list with some of our new trustees able to help us.”  She adds, “It will enable us to apply for a wider pool of funding, borrow artefacts from other museums, and host exhibits so visitors have a refreshing experience each time they visit, focussing on local fishing, farming and seaside fun.”

"focussing on local fishing, farming and seaside fun"