For over 100 years, Worthing Museum has been the home for archaeological finds from across the South Coast, a place where the preservation, research and display of priceless discoveries has been made possible with the help of local people and scholars alike.

In 2025, we have a unique opportunity to reimagine our collections and create a gallery which truly brings our objects to life through new display cases and refreshed wayfinding. We will use ambient lighting, technology and innovative interpretation to create immersive experiences that fully acquaint us with ancient civilizations and contemporary social histories.

The calibre and significance of Worthing Museum’s collection has only been made possible through the interest and commitment of local people in preserving their past. In that tradition, we’re asking you to join us in our ambition to create a world-class archaeological destination and curate our collections in a way that benefits the understanding of generations to come.

Help us reach our target of £35,000 by sponsoring one of our 50,000 artefacts

£15 could help to home one of the copper-alloy Roman coins found on the South Downs just north of Worthing. Known as a ‘sestertius’, depicting Emperor Marcus Aurelius, it’s from around 171 AD.

£100 could help to provide lighting that illuminates the detail of one of our woolly mammoth tusks caught in nets accidentally by fishermen off the coast of Worthing in 1920. In recognition of a donation of this size, our curators would be delighted to invite you to a private tour of the museum prior to its official re-opening.

£250 could help to build a display case that showcases every delicate etching on the exquisite Highdown Goblet. Discovered at the top of Highdown Hill in the 1890s, we think it was made in either Alexandria (Egypt) or Antioch (modern day Turkey) around 400 AD. By helping to reveal the 1600+ year history behind this magnificent object, you’d be recognised as one of our museum champions and invited to a private viewing of the Highdown Goblet with our Archaeology Curator James Sainsbury.