Torquay Museum Society

TORQUAY MUSEUM SOCIETY

We are a charitable organisation dedicated to promoting a wider understanding of the history, natural environment and cultural heritage of Devon. At the moment there are around two hundred and fifty Torquay Museum Society members. We organise the Annual Lecture Programme and provide voluntary support to the work of the Museum. New members are always welcome.  For more details on joining Torquay Museum Society please email: carl.smith@torquaymuseum.org or download an application form below.  Prices are for a year's membership which includes entry to all lectures on the programme and free entry to the Museum. 

Torquay Museum Society Membership Form (PDF)

Membership Prices 

The subscription year runs from 1st October to 30th September the following year. 

• Single £60
• Joint £100 (at the same address)​

with the usual life memberships available as follows:

• Individual life membership £500 (10 years)
• Joint life membership £800 (10 years)

THE ANNUAL LECTURE PROGRAMME

The programme is usually in two seasons which run from October to January and February to April. Lectures are on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings starting at 10.45am and are open to Society members, and for a £5 fee, to members of the public. The lectures cover a huge array of topics and cater for a wide variety of interests.

Unfortunately, due to social distancing restrictions imposed during the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic, the Public Lecture Programme for the October to January 2020 Season has now been cancelled. However, we are hoping to film mini-lectures/short films about notable local landmarks, which will be made available to Torquay Museum Society Members to view online. We hope to have the Lecture Programme back up and running by January 2021, subject of course to a more favourable environment.

SUMMER CONVERSAZIONE
During the summer months, between the spring and autumn lecture series, we run weekly conversazione, informal meetings involving presentations by members, e.g.short talks, poetry readings, and discussions initiated by members, often around the display of interesting objects and artefacts. Unfortunately, we have had to cancel the summer 2020 Conversazione, but are hopeful that it will return in 2021.

THE BOOK COLLECTION
We are the proud custodians of an historic book collection begun at the founding of the Torquay Natural History Society in 1844. This collection is a key resource for specialist researchers from far afield as well as for local people interested in exploring aspects of our common heritage.

VOLUNTEERING
There are many volunteering opportunities for Society members wishing to support the running of the Museum. Volunteers are also responsible for the cataloguing and care of the Society’s book collection.  

HELP RUN THE SOCIETY
As a democratic organisation we encourage members to participate at all levels of the Society. The governing body of the Society, known as the Board of Trustees, consists of up to ten members, who meet bi-monthly to oversee the work of the Society. All members have an automatic right to be elected to the Board and are encouraged to put themselves forward for election to the Board or any of its sub-groups. Members are also encouraged to put themselves forward for roles within the five subject sections of the Society, i.e. Geology, Archaeology and Astronomy, Local History, Zoology and Ornithology, Botany, Literature and the Arts.

Torquay Museum Society was founded in 1844 as the Torquay Natural History Society (TNHS). In 2003 the TNHS was reconstituted as Torquay Museum Society (TMS). On April 1st, 2015, TMS reformed as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Charity Number 1161126). Ownership and responsibility for the Museum, the building and its collections, now lies with the Torbay Museums Trust (Charity Number 1025390)