Where
The Staithe in the Norfolk village of Stalham. A staithe is a dock where trading wherries (barges) used to be moored. Until the second world war, the wherries would take local produce to Yarmouth and bring goods back to the rural communities on the Broads.
What
"We are the only museum dedicated to the Norfolk Broads and the people, history and nature of the area," says Robin Friend, a retired pharmacist and volunteer who looks after the museum's publicity.
Opened
In 1995, the museum opened at Broadhaven, a boatyard in nearby Potter Higham. In 2000 it moved to its current home in Stalham.
Collections
"We range from boat-building tools to several older Broads boats, including a late 18th-century gun punt," says Friend. "This is a flat-bottomed, shallow boat, which used to have a large gun, loaded with shot or screws, mounted at the front. The boatman would wait for some wildfowl to come along and then let fly. We also have Maria, the fastest racing yacht in the Broads in the 19th century."
In addition to boat plans and photographs, the museum also has the Falcon, a Victorian steam launch, for day trips.
Budget
None, beyond the admission fees to the museum (£4 adult, £3.50 child, £10 family). It has received a few ad hoc grants for doing things such as covering a walkway between buildings, but the fact that the museum did not own its site disqualified it from receiving grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The museum's big appeal in 2008 changed this. "We raised £125,000 to buy our site last October," Friend says.
Visits
10,000 in 2008.
Help at hand
"We are run entirely by a force of 60 volunteers," Friend says. "They come from many backgrounds: boat builders, teachers, several RAF engineers, and shopfitters."
Highlights
"Maria is unique in that her rig was a lateen one," says Friend. "That is, she had a triangular sale, a bit like an Arab dhow. It's said that Horatio Nelson, who came from Norfolk, was in favour of lateens because of their sailing efficiency."
Survival tips
"Simply keep pecking away, keep your contacts up and have projects and ideas that you can sell to people. People aren't keen on giving money for nothing. It helps a lot if we can say that donations will be used for a specific purpose."
Sticky moment
"About three years ago, we were close to financial ruin, but we picked ourselves up with some serious fundraising. We held a promise auction and a concert by the Sheringham Shantymen, a group who have raised money for lifeboat charities, which helped us considerably."
Current projects
"We want to pave the outside area, which is presently made of concrete. We also want to create a proper place for our archives."
The Staithe in the Norfolk village of Stalham. A staithe is a dock where trading wherries (barges) used to be moored. Until the second world war, the wherries would take local produce to Yarmouth and bring goods back to the rural communities on the Broads.
What
"We are the only museum dedicated to the Norfolk Broads and the people, history and nature of the area," says Robin Friend, a retired pharmacist and volunteer who looks after the museum's publicity.
Opened
In 1995, the museum opened at Broadhaven, a boatyard in nearby Potter Higham. In 2000 it moved to its current home in Stalham.
Collections
"We range from boat-building tools to several older Broads boats, including a late 18th-century gun punt," says Friend. "This is a flat-bottomed, shallow boat, which used to have a large gun, loaded with shot or screws, mounted at the front. The boatman would wait for some wildfowl to come along and then let fly. We also have Maria, the fastest racing yacht in the Broads in the 19th century."
In addition to boat plans and photographs, the museum also has the Falcon, a Victorian steam launch, for day trips.
Budget
None, beyond the admission fees to the museum (£4 adult, £3.50 child, £10 family). It has received a few ad hoc grants for doing things such as covering a walkway between buildings, but the fact that the museum did not own its site disqualified it from receiving grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The museum's big appeal in 2008 changed this. "We raised £125,000 to buy our site last October," Friend says.
Visits
10,000 in 2008.
Help at hand
"We are run entirely by a force of 60 volunteers," Friend says. "They come from many backgrounds: boat builders, teachers, several RAF engineers, and shopfitters."
Highlights
"Maria is unique in that her rig was a lateen one," says Friend. "That is, she had a triangular sale, a bit like an Arab dhow. It's said that Horatio Nelson, who came from Norfolk, was in favour of lateens because of their sailing efficiency."
Survival tips
"Simply keep pecking away, keep your contacts up and have projects and ideas that you can sell to people. People aren't keen on giving money for nothing. It helps a lot if we can say that donations will be used for a specific purpose."
Sticky moment
"About three years ago, we were close to financial ruin, but we picked ourselves up with some serious fundraising. We held a promise auction and a concert by the Sheringham Shantymen, a group who have raised money for lifeboat charities, which helped us considerably."
Current projects
"We want to pave the outside area, which is presently made of concrete. We also want to create a proper place for our archives."
Links
www.northnorfolk.org/museumofthebroads/
www.northnorfolk.org/museumofthebroads/