Hayle’s Heritage is on the Move
While Hayle Heritage Centre remains closed for essential renovation works, we’re bringing Hayle’s stories, and collections directly into the community through the Mobile Museum project.
A museum pop up will visit locations across Hayle and St Erth throughout the summer and autumn, ensuring that local heritage remains accessible, visible and relevant while work continues at John Harvey House.
By taking the museum out into public spaces, we can meet people where they already are – in libraries, community venues, parks and markets – creating new opportunities to explore local history, share memories and learn about the future of the museum.
What to Expect
Our Mobile Museum will offer a pop-up museum experience featuring:
- A display of the new Hayle Town Banner
- Artefacts from the museum collection
- 3D-printed handling objects
- Historic photographs and browsing books
- An oral history listening post featuring stories and memories from Hayle residents
- Family-friendly Arts Award craft activities
- Information and updates about the museum renovation project
The Hayle Town Banner
At the heart of the project is a display of the new Hayle Town Banner, commissioned from artist Elizabeth Loveday.
Inspired by the Methodist Tea Treat banners that were once a familiar sight throughout Hayle, the banner celebrates the town’s heritage, landscape, industry and community spirit. It brings together historical traditions with contemporary artistic practice, creating a powerful symbol of Hayle’s past, present and future.
As the original banner is too delicate to travel, visitors will be able to view a high-quality replica and learn about the stories behind the figures, buildings and motifs that it features. These artworks tell the stories behind the figures and scenes featured within the banner and provide a fascinating insight into its creation.
Once Hayle Heritage Centre reopens, the original banner will become part of the museum collection and be displayed within the museum.
Have Your Say
The Mobile Museum is not only an opportunity to discover Hayle’s heritage – it’s also an opportunity to help shape the future of the museum.
We want to hear your memories, ideas and suggestions about what you would like to see when the Heritage Centre reopens. Throughout the project, visitors will be invited to share their thoughts and contribute to conversations about Hayle’s heritage and how it should be celebrated in the future.
Meet Our VolunteersVolunteers are at the heart of this project. Throughout the summer, our dedicated volunteer team will be sharing local stories, supporting activities and talking to visitors about the museum’s collections, renovation project and future plans.
Their knowledge, enthusiasm and commitment help keep Hayle’s heritage alive and ensure that the museum remains a valued community resource even while its doors are temporarily closed.
We’re looking for friendly volunteers to support our Mobile Museum.
Roles include:
- Visitor engagement
- Setup and packdown
- Creative activity support
- Activity preparation
- Evaluation and feedback collection
- Or become an allrounder
No experience needed — just enthusiasm, help keep Hayle’s heritage alive while the museum is being renovated
Where to Find Us
| Location | Address | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hayle Library | 43 Commercial Rd, Hayle TR27 4DE | TBC | TBC |
| Memorial Walk | Hayle TR27 5AA | Friday 28th August | 10am - 3pm |
| Hayle Day Care Centre | Commercial Rd, Hayle TR27 4DE | Wednesday 9th September | TBC |
| Hayle Rec | Lethlean Lane, Hayle TR27 5AL | Saturday 12th September | 10am - 3pm |
| Hayle Day Care Centre | Commercial Rd, Hayle TR27 4DE | Thursday 17th September | TBC |
| St Erth Farmers Market | Chapel Hill, St Erth, TR27 6HL | Saturday 19th September | 10am - 1pm |
Please check our website and social media channels for event times and updates.
Thanks to Our Funders
The mobile museum proejct has been made possible thanks to the generous support
of Arts Council England and Hayle Pump.
Their funding has enabled us to develop new ways of engaging people with Hayle’s heritage during the museum’s closure, helping us reconnect communities with local history, deliver creative learning activities and test outreach programmes that will continue long after the museum reopens. Also a big thank you to the Little Parc Owls Trust who have given us a grant for the banner project. We are extremely grateful for their support and investment in Hayle’s heritage, culture and community.
