What is HMSSG?

museum in Broad Street displaying history heritage costume
The Museum and Art Gallery prior to being emptied for the redevelopment programme to begin

HMSSG stands for Herefordshire Museum Service Support Group.

We are a charitable organisation, set up in 2015, whose aims are to support the Herefordshire Council’s Museum Service in the face of falling public funding. HMSSG is a membership network for supporters of Herefordshire Council’s Museum Service.  The Museum Service includes:

  • the significant County  museum and art collections (over 180,000  objects which are part of Herefordshire’s heritage, held in trust for its people)
  • the Museum and Art Gallery in Broad St
  • the Resource and Learning Centre where the Collections are stored
  • the Black and White House in High Town
  • and the professional staff team

After years of funding cuts, Herefordshire Council have embarked on an exciting period of investment and strategic development centred on the redevelopment of Hereford Museum and Art Gallery in Broad Street, Hereford.

HMSSG is only as strong as its members, on whose support the future of the Museum depends. HMSSG’s vision is for a sustainable 21st century museum service which gives a wide range of people better access to the wonderful County Collections. This can be through galleries, exhibitions, pop-up displays, group and educational activities taking place in a range of venues. It also includes digital participation: interactive online images and information, websites and social media.

Current Projects

  • Support the redevelopment of Hereford Museum and Art Gallery
  • Bring the Viking HOARD home to Herefordshire
museum Broad Street volunteer

Supporting our Museums: can you volunteer?

So many museums rely on the support of volunteers, from acting as front of house to answering the questions raised by visitors to the various sites and assisting with displays.  We should point out however that we are not museum professionals but work closely with the team who are.   If you have queries you’d like answered please contact us through the form on this site and one of the team will reply to you as soon as practicable. If you would be interested in volunteering with HMSSG we’d like to hear from you.  We are looking for people willing to serve on our committee and/or board particularly who could help us expand our social media and finance capacity

If you are interested in helping in any way, please contact us.