East Sussex Naturists return to Bexhill Museum by Philip Baker

I met the Chairperson of the Bexhill Museum at an event called “Singing Down Memory Lane” which is for dementia sufferers. Sally Hemmings also runs the Bexhill Dementia Action Alliance. Living in East Sussex for 24 years I had never visited the Museum until 2024, but its a wonderful treasure chest of the past.

The manager was very open to a naturist visit and we went on June 18^th 2024, but the group were so interested in the displays that we did not have time to do a quiz I asked to be created for us. On September 10^th a naturist group of 10 had a sound meditation in the education room. It’s wonderfully relaxing especially when you can feel the sound of the huge Tibetan gongs (made in Germany!) rippling across your skin.

So on 25^th September 2025 a dozen naturists visited again to do the quiz. Gordon, the manager, gave us a little talk about the museum, which is currently undergoing £½ million upgrade courtesy of the Arts Council. Here we are with clipboards at the ready.

The patron of the museum is Susy Eddie Izzard, born in Sidley and he donated the exhibit most people want to see which is a scale model of Bexhill as it was in 1940.

The model features several long lost buildings including Hoad’s windmill which was L S Lowry’s subject for the painting which normally resides alongside the German Legion display. Currently that painting is on display at the Towner gallery in Eastbourne (which we have also visited twice) in the ‘Sussex Modernism’ exhibition.

But for a chance meeting these visits would never have happened, so just remember there is no harm in asking – you just might be surprised.