New gallery and exhibition area to open at Wycombe Museum on Mon 15 Feb 2016

Unusual chairs and painting masterpieces with a Wycombe connection will be unveiled to the public when the new art gallery and exhibitions are opened at Wycombe Museum in time for the February half term holiday.

The Priory Avenue-based museum was partly re-opened in December following a major refurbishment – which included a new café area, wi-fi, an extended learning area for schoolchildren and the addition of a lift.

The revamped exhibition area and galleries at the museum, which was previously known as Castle Hill House, will now be opened to the public on Monday 15th February 2016 to complete the refurbishment.

The new furniture exhibition will show off a host of chairs produced in the district – including an ‘upside down’ chair, a one-armed chair made to accommodate soldiers’ swords and a G-Plan, dubbed the ‘world’s most comfortable chair‘ made famous by James Bond baddie, Blofeld.

Visitors will be able to explore the bodger’s hut, where chair legs were made in the woods, and imagine what it was like to be Queen Victoria passing through the spectacular chair arch during her visit in 1877.

Some of the museum’s impressive collection of art, which began soon after it was first opened in the 1930s, will also be put on display to visitors.

Cllr Julia Adey, Wycombe District Council’s Cabinet member for Community, said: ‘The new exhibitions at the revamped Wycombe Museum are fascinating – there really is something for everyone, whether you’ve never been to the museum before or were a frequent visitor prior to the building closing for the refurbishment last summer.

I would like to thank the volunteers and council officers for all their hard work in overseeing the transformation of this wonderful and much-loved community building.‘