Green Howards Museum: How you can get free entry to Yorkhire museum with a glorious history

Now the Green Howards Museum is marking half a century at home in the centre of Richmond. Officially opened on July 25 1973, the museum team has been running a range of events in honour of the anniversary all year.

Next up is a free day for local people on Saturday July 22 – the closest Saturday to the actual opening day 50 years ago.

Residents from postcodes DL9 and DL10 will get free admission, they just need to show proof of address on entry.

“It’s a real milestone day for us,” says the museum’s Communications and Commercial Manager, Fiona Hall. “Half a century here, sharing more than three centuries of history, all made possible by the objects and archive in our ever-growing collection.

"As a museum quite literally in the heart of the community, we want to offer local people who may not have visited for many years the chance to see what’s on offer right on their doorstep and show that we’ve by no means been standing still for the last five decades.”

The museum team has put together an exhibition in the entrance including archive photographs of work in the early 1970s transforming the former Holy Trinity Church into the museum, the official 1973 opening by the King of Norway and featuring objects donated to the museum in that opening year and some of their most recent acquisitions ranging from artwork to jewellery. In the past year alone, the museum has welcomed more than 400 items from 48 different sources into its collection.

There’s a fundraising focus to the anniversary, with a Grand Draw offering a host of prizes, including a three-night bed and breakfast package at any one of The Coaching Inn Group’s 32 UK properties. The group own the town’s King’s Head Hotel, and that’s where the idea to site the regiment’s museum was born, when the two officers charged with finding a location for it gave up and went for a pint. They looked out the window, saw the dilapidated church opposite and the rest is history.

“The Grand Draw gives us the chance to offer some really impressive prizes, offered by local businesses and friends of the museum, whilst raising money to implement enhancements to our Normanby Room, including the conservation of our extensive collection of Mouseman furniture,” adds Ms Hall. “It’s lovely to celebrate our long association with our neighbours across the market place in this anniversary year, with such a great prize offering, and we’re very grateful for their generosity.”

In addition, High Tea is being served in the Normanby Room on various dates throughout July and August, all helping fund the improvements to the room.

The Green Howards Museum is open Monday to Saturday 10am to 4.30pm.