<>The Museum Trust's Background
During the late 1980s and up to 1998 several Theme Weeks and Flying-Boat Reunions were held at Pembroke Dock. These were most successful occasions, bringing many ex-servicemen back to the town, and these memorial events helped to focus attention upon this community’s unique military heritage.
A ‘Pembroke Dock Museum’ was first talked about in 1917, but it was not until the mid 1990s that renewed efforts were made. The opportunity to actually create one came when the former South Pembrokeshire District Council, relocated their Tourist Information Centre from a Cambridge Gun Tower to another location.
Meanwhile in 1996 a meeting had been called with the idea of establishing a museum. This brought together local military, aviation and maritime historians, professional people and council representatives. A Trust was formed and made good progress to establish its credibility, and so it was the logical organisation to occupy the now empty Gun.
On July 1st 2001 the Trust, having acquired a lease moved into the Gun Tower. For what remained of the summer season the Trust ran the Tower without any changes. The winter of 2001/2002 provided the opportunity for the Trust to make substantial changes – for example the Dockyard display was moved into the central room and three distinct ‘themed rooms’ relating to the military, naval and RAF roles locally were created. |
