The Novium Museum Opens

2012

The Novium Museum opened in July 2012 on Tower Street in the centre of Chichester, replacing the former Chichester District Museum which had outgrown its previous home. The museum was designed by Keith Williams Architects and takes its name from Noviomagus, the Roman name for Chichester. The building was constructed over the remains of a Roman bath house discovered during excavations on the site. The bath house, which includes a hypocaust heating system and the remains of heated rooms, is displayed in situ within the museum, allowing visitors to look down into the excavated Roman structure from the ground floor. The museum's collections cover the history and archaeology of the Chichester district from the prehistoric period to the present day. Key exhibits include Roman artefacts from Noviomagus and Fishbourne, medieval objects from the cathedral and city, and material relating to the Royal Sussex Regiment. The museum also holds the Chilgrove Roman mosaic, a large and well-preserved floor from a Roman villa found in the downs north of Chichester. Temporary exhibitions cover a range of historical, cultural and community themes. The building itself is a contemporary structure of concrete, glass and stone that sits within the historic streetscape. Its design was not universally welcomed, and it remains a building that divides opinion architecturally. The museum serves as the principal venue for understanding Chichester's long history, from its Roman origins through its medieval prominence to its modern character as a cathedral city and cultural centre.