Bruce Castle Museum and Archive is set to welcome visitors this Sunday (May 4, 2025) for its Heritage Quarter Open Day, offering the public their first opportunity to view the newly renovated East Wing gallery spaces.
The renovation project, funded by Haringey Council and Arts Council England through the Museum Estate and Development (MEND) capital works program, has significantly improved accessibility to the museum’s unique collections.
Among the improvements is the transformation of an 18th-century room into a new community space for exhibitions and public use. The renovation also addressed structural issues, improved fire protection, and repaired historic elements of the Grade 1 listed building.
Visitors to Sunday’s event will be the first to receive a new Heritage Trail leaflet and map of the Bruce Castle Heritage Quarter, designed by local artist Emmie Joanna, known for her Haringey landmark illustrations.
The day’s festivities will begin at 11am, with Mayor of Haringey, Councillor Sue Jameson, conducting an official ribbon-cutting ceremony between 11:15am and 11:30am to mark the reopening of the restored gallery spaces.
The Heritage Quarter Open Day will feature numerous activities throughout the day, including special area tours running every 45 minutes from 11:45am to 4pm. Additional highlights include a talk titled “From the Andes to N17” about John Eliot Howard at 11am, and a “Secret Spurs History” walk at noon exploring Tottenham Hotspur Football Club’s origins. All Hallows Church will open from 1pm to 4:30pm, with bells ringing at 11:45am.
Other notable sites open to visitors include the Antwerp Arms pub (noon until late), The Priory gardens (1:30pm-4pm), and Tottenham Cemetery Chapel (11am-4pm).
Councillor Emily Arkell, Haringey Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, who recently toured the final stages of the improvement works, commented: “These improvement works have made the museum more accessible, open and welcoming to all and the new décor and lighting seem set to ensure that the exhibits are seen at their optical and optimal best.”
With forecasts predicting sunny and warm weather for the Bank Holiday weekend, visitors can enjoy WW2-themed refreshments at the ‘Old Kitchen Pop-Up Café’ between 11am and 4:30pm, commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
