John Harvey House
24 Foundry Square is one of the most iconic buildings in Hayle, instantly recognisable with its magnificent clock tower. Throughout its 230-year history it has witnessed immeasurable changes, both in Hayle and the wider world.
Transforming Hayle Heritage Centre for the Future
We are creating a new museum for the town of Hayle—one that honours its extraordinary heritage while building a vibrant, sustainable cultural focus for the town.
Unforeseen structural problems at John Harvey House, gradually reduced what we could offer our visitors. By 2020, most of the collection had to be moved into storage, with only a single exhibition space remaining open. It became clear that significant intervention was needed to safeguard the building and revitalise its role at the heart of the community.
Phase 1: Securing the Building and Shaping Our Future (2024–2025)
In 2024, we secured over £600,000 of grant funding from Historic England, National Heritage Lottery Fund, and SPF Good Growth programme, to undertake the first phase of urgent capital works. This required us to close the building to the public so that essential structural repairs could begin.
This closure created an invaluable opportunity to step back and plan for the long-term future of the museum. With the support of specialist consultants, we:
- Consulted widely with residents, visitors, and community groups to understand local aspirations for a renewed museum. This included 6 high-quality events engaging over 200 people, a targeted volunteer programme exceeding expectations.
- Production of a audience development strategy to ensure our future service is welcoming, inclusive, and relevant.
- Explored new business models to secure long-term financial sustainability.
Phase 1 delivered major physical improvements to the site, including vital structural work and the installation of a new lift, making the museum fully accessible for the first time in its 242-year history.
Phase 2: Restoring the Historic Drawing Office (2025– 2026)
In Autumn 2025, we are delighted to have be awarded £280,000 by Historic England to begin Phase 2 of the capital works. This phase focuses on the Drawing Office, a fragile timber-framed part of the building where pioneering engineers such as including Richard Trevithick once worked.
The building will be stripped back to its original timber frame where we will replace, and repair its structure, before installing better insulation with more appropriate materials, turning an underused area, into a multi-use space so we can run temporary exhibitions, hold talks and workshops.
This essential conservation project will:
- Save one of the site’s most historically significant structures
- Reopen the Drawing Office to the public
- Create a flexible multi-use space for temporary exhibitions, talks, workshops, and events.
A New Museum for Hayle
With the centre temporarily closed, we have a rare opportunity to make a step change in our organisation. Our vision is to renew and expand the museum’s offer by creating:
- New permanent galleries that celebrate Hayle’s heritage
- An expanded programme of talks, workshops, and temporary exhibitions
- A dynamic cultural hub that connects history, creativity, and community
A vital part of this transformation is reconnecting local people with their collections and their heritage. We are committed to delivering a structured, creative community engagement programme that:
- Makes the collection accessible to broader and more diverse audiences
- Delivers exciting workshops and activities during the relaunch and beyond
- Builds lasting partnerships with schools, local groups, and organisations
- Ensures community voices remain central to the museum’s future
As we move forward, we aim to reopen with a renewed identity, expanded ambition, and a revitalised space that truly reflects and serves the town—a new chapter for Hayle Museum.
