Coventry Music Museum becomes first Lite member
A Coventry museum is preparing for its 10th birthday by joining a leading city tourism organisation in a bid to increase footfall and volunteer numbers.
Coventry Music Museum opened in 2013 and has been run by volunteers for the last decade.
The museum, which is in the heart of the 2-Tone Village, celebrates the history and heritage of music in Coventry – from the 2-Tone movement and Delia Derbyshire, to post 2-Tone and the city’s time as the centre of the UK rave scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
It has become the first organisation to join destination management organisation, Destination Coventry, under its new ‘Lite’ membership package – which provides a cost-effective means for organisations to access member benefits.
The move comes amid a string of new exhibits being introduced at the museum, including a permanent tribute to The Specials’ frontman, Terry Hall, who passed away last year.
The museum has also introduced a new rave area, dedicated to how the rave scene took hold of the city more than 30 years ago – with the iconic The Eclipse nightclub leading the way for legal raves.
Curator, Pete Chambers, a music historian and journalist, is working on expanding the museum’s offer by incorporating new technologies to create immersive experiences and landing new showpiece exhibits.
He says that in order for the museum to continue to thrive, it is vital it has a pipeline of volunteers and can maintain its position as a must-visit attraction.
“We’re proud Coventrians and love being a part of what the city has to offer, our goal now is to grow what we can do and preserve the museum for the future,” he said.
“Our footfall has grown significantly over the last 12 months, and as a result we are going to need to get probably five or so more volunteers to facilitate our growth.
“But we want to continue that growth too, and by working with and joining Destination Coventry we think that this is great way to do that.
“We’re really proud of the latest additions we have made to what is a compact museum, but despite that limit on space, we knew we had to find a way to recognise one of Coventry’s most famous sons, Terry Hall, and the city’s contribution to rave music.
“Our tenth birthday is on the horizon and we have some big plans for the future too.”
Destination Coventry is a membership organisation responsible for promoting Coventry nationally and internationally, and growing and supporting the visitor economy.
It has recently launched its Lite membership to enable more organisations to experience membership benefits, including marketing opportunities, business support and specialist advice.
Paul Jones, Managing Director of Destination Coventry, said: “Coventry Music Museum is one of the jewels of our tourism offer in Coventry, with thousands of people visiting every year due to the city’s rich musical heritage.
“We look forward to working with Pete and his team to promote the museum to more visitors and encourage them to drop in when they visit Coventry.”
Coventry Music Museum has just been voted in the top 10 per cent of attractions worldwide in the Tripadvisor’s Travellers Choice 2023.
The Coventry Music Museum is open Thursday to Sunday. For more information visit www.covmm.co.uk. To find out more about Destination Coventry and membership visit www.destinationcoventry.co.uk