Haverfordwest Town Museum has had to relocate to the town centre, with the closure of the castle for the next couple years.

The closure is owing to building works for the Heart of Pembrokeshire project.

Last September, plans to move temporarily Haverfordwest’s museum to the town’s Riverside Quay while levelling-up works in the town are ongoing were given the thumbs-up. Pembrokeshire County Council Cabinet members were asked to approve financial support for the museum at its new temporary home. A report for members said: “Whilst the proposed use of unit 24/25 at Riverside by Haverfordwest Town Museum is not a commercial use, we do believe it will support footfall.“

An application was submitted to county planners by historian and council presiding member Cllr Dr Simon Hancock for a change of use of the former GAME electronic games store at Riverside Quay to a temporary home for the ‘pop-up’ museum .

GAME has relocated to the Withybush retail park on the edge of the town.

The museum is moving from its current site at the Governor’s Office next to Haverfordwest Castle due to ongoing works connected with the £24m Heart of Pembrokeshire levelling-up redevelopment of that part of the county town, which is expected to last until Spring 2026.

Work is ongoing to set up displays and create a museum shop and the new Riverside home is hoped to open to the public on March 25.

Museum Curator Cllr Simon Hancock said: “We want to make the pop-up museum an informative and entertaining space. We will have models of the castle and Tudor Merchant’s house, displays on the Llewellin churnworks, the Port of Haverfordwest, items made in the town during the Victorian period, David Lindley paintings and the People of Haverfordwest panels.

“We will be open all year round in our new premises and so we will ensure there will be regular changes of content. We would like to hear from anyone who would be interested in volunteering for us.

“The pop-up museum would only be possible thanks to the stalwart support of the county council with funding from the Shared Prosperity Fund for which we are extremely grateful.”