Interest in a Petersfield attraction has “exploded” since a milestone exhibition opened in June with a
quadruple rise in visitor numbers.
The last two months have been amongst the busiest and most fruitful in the 25-year history of Petersfield Museum & Art Gallery.
The tiny attraction on St Peter’s Road made big news in the art world in June when the Peggy Guggenheim: Petersfield to Palazzo exhibition opened to the public.
It’s been huge with curator Molly Schmidt reporting a 200 per cent increase in visitor numbers on this time last year.
She said: “Compared to this time last year our figures are well up and I can honestly say it’s exploded.
“It was amazing to get the word out and get people coming to Petersfield. A lot have come down from London on the train so it’s not only been good for us, but also the town.
Peggy Guggenheim on the roof terrace of Palazzo Venier dei Leoni in Venice, early 1950s (Photo: Archivio Cameraphoto Epoche) (Archivio Cameraphoto Epoche)
“We got quite a lot of publicity when it started and there’s been spreads in The Sunday Times and The Observer and The Spectator did a feature on us.
“I think a lot of people saw it on social media and they’ve told their friends about it, which proves you
can’t put a price on word of mouth.”
It’s fair to say the exhibition has fulfilled a long-held dream to put the museum and town on the
map. Building work on the old police station and its surrounds began in 2019, resulting in a “virtually new museum and galleries” headed by a new professional team, director and curator.
Building work on the old police station began in 2019, resulting in a “virtually new museum”. (Tindle/Paul Ferguson)
“One of our dreams was that we would create a museum that could bring in loads and that would put Petersfield on the map,” said Dan McWilliam, director, during a recent anniversary event while hailing the community effort that made it happen.
“Something that would bring people into Petersfield. To bring people in to stay, and to stay overnight, because every visitor that comes to Petersfield has an economic value.”
The team wanted a big exhibition to mark 25 years so when they started exploring Peggy Guggenheim’s links to the town – her penchant for collecting art grew strongly during a five-year stay near Harting – they had their hook.
“The exhibition has been inspired by the five years she lives just outside Petersfield in Hurst,” said
Louise Weller, head of collections and exhibitions.
“It’s here she began dedicating her life to collecting art, supporting artists and museums and
that’s why it’s called Petersfield to Palazzo.
“Her collection of world-class contemporary and avant-garde modern art can now be seen at her
former home in Venice. And now some of it is here.”
The exhibition had been in the pipeline “for quite a while” but sadly, the pieces will eventually be
returned to Italy.
“Yes, there’s an attachment but you’re always thinking about moving forward and what comes next,” added Molly, with the museum following the Guggenheim opus with a community-orientated exhibition.
“But to be able to hold it this year, in our 25th anniversary year, was incredible.”