Explore Guildford's history at new Discovery Lounge

You can explore the history of local buildings and the people who lived in them at Guildford Museum's new Longworth Discovery Lounge.

The new resource room will open on Friday 13 June, and will feature an exciting range of printed and online information. Volunteer Research Stewards coordinated by Friends of Guildford Museum will be on hand to help visitors with their local history research. 

Cllr Catherine Houston, Lead Councillor for Commercial Services, says:

"The Longworth Discovery Lounge will give Museum visitors a great opportunity to learn much more about the history of Guildford, and to explore their specific interests. This is a great example of what working in partnership can achieve. The Volunteer Research Stewards enjoy sharing their knowledge, and together we can't wait to welcome visitors to our new space."  

In addition to books and online resources, visitors can search the new Guildford Inhabitants database. Researched and compiled by a local historian, this new digital archive gives a fascinating snapshot of Guildford town centre residents from the 1800s to the present day. 

The Longworth Discovery Lounge is named after Andrew Longworth, a former member of staff at the Museum.  

Cllr Houston adds:

"Andrew was a much-loved member of our team, and the new discovery room is a fitting tribute to his passion for history and the Museum." 

The Longworth Discovery Lounge will be open on the second Friday of each month, between 12noon and 4pm. 

Guildford Museum's exhibitions are open Wednesday to Saturday, 12noon to 4.30pm with last entry at 4pm. Admission is free.

Read more information on Guildford Museum and our other heritage attractions.

Published date: 12 June 2025