Newmarket’s National Horse Racing Museum (NHRM) has a new name and a new look ahead of its reopening to the public on Tuesday, July 28. The museum, situated in the centre of the town just off the high street, has been closed for four months during the coronavirus pandemic.
One-way systems and social-distancing measures are in place to ensure that visitors can return safely to the venue which is also home to a number of high-profile retired racehorses who reside in the Rothschild Yard.
“Not only does the museum present a rich and fascinating panorama of a sport which is very much at the centre of the nation’s story, it’s also a great day out for everyone, whether they already know about racing or not,” said NHRM chief executive Dr Steven Parissien. “We want to become an essential resource for the town and believe that our unique combination of art, heritage, horses, open spaces and great food and drink is exactly what Newmarket needs in these trying times.”
He continued, “There will be new catering outlets, more space, a dedicated community gallery and displays which will reflect the history of the town as well as of racing. This autumn, for example, we will be showing a compilation of BBC archival films on Newmarket, from a profile of the old railway station’s famous heavy horses of the 1960s to the Blue Peter special on the town of 2003.”
The popular Tack Room restaurant will also reopen, along with the former bakery in the King’s Yard, which will offer bread, cakes, coffee and picnic boxes. Further changes include the transformation of the museum’s paddocks into a picnic area with benches and, in the coming months, a miniature zoo for companion animals such as sheep and goats. The museum store is also being relaunched and will include a second-hand book room.
Dr Parissien added, ‘We want the museum’s fabulous open spaces to be a key venue for the town—for eating and drinking, for art, for music and for shows and events, as well as for reflection and for relaxation. Keep in touch with us through our new website and you can find everything that’s coming up.”
This summer’s special exhibition, entitled The Good Companions, opens on Friday, July 31, and explores the portrayal of dogs in art. Tickets can be booked via visit the temporary ticketing website.
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