A Remarkable Year for the Museum of Music History

As we begin a new year, we are taking stock of what has been an exceptional twelve months for the Museum of Music History.

Throughout 2025, the MOMH team made substantial progress across collections care, research, education, public engagement and national profile. Much of this work has been meticulous and behind the scenes, but it is foundational to everything the Museum exists to do.

“This is demanding, often invisible work, but it is what ensures our collections will survive and be usable for generations to come.”

Thousands of items across the Museum’s collections were stabilised, catalogued and rehoused, with major strides made in consolidating material from multiple storage sites. The Haddenham base increasingly became not just a working archive, but a centre for research, volunteering and engagement. New cataloguing systems and workflows were implemented, allowing staff and volunteers to work to recognised sector standards and laying the groundwork for future public access to the collections.

At the same time, 2025 was a year in which the Museum’s collections became far more visible. Exhibitions and pop-up displays took MOMH material into festivals, libraries, universities and concert venues, introducing new audiences to the stories held within the archive.

“These exhibitions showed how powerful music history can be when it is told through objects, images and sound.”

Education and outreach continued to grow in ambition and impact. The Museum welcomed young people for work-experience placements, collaborated with schools and youth music organisations, and delivered workshops that combined archival material with live music-making. Feedback from participants and educators highlighted not only the uniqueness of the collections, but the confidence and curiosity these encounters helped to inspire.

“Again and again we saw how encountering real objects and real stories can unlock curiosity, confidence and creativity.”

The Museum’s national profile also strengthened during the year through broadcasts, publications, public talks and partnerships with cultural organisations, archives and universities. Alongside this, the team developed ambitious funding bids and long-term plans to support the Museum’s sustainability and future growth.

None of this would have been possible without the dedication of our staff, volunteers, trustees, partners and supporters. I would like to thank everyone involved for their commitment, professionalism and belief in what the Museum of Music History is building.

Mark Bromley, Chairman