Norfolk Heritage Centre

29/07/2026

Today is the day! After closing for the major refurbishment works at Millennium Library, the Norfolk Heritage Centre will be back open from today at 10am on Wednesday 29th July. With a new layout and some fantastic displays put together by our Heritage Centre team showcasing the history of libraries in Norwich, we can't wait to welcome you back!

17/07/2026

Norfolk Heritage Centre will reopen on Wednesday 29 July at 10am, full info below!

We are delighted to announce that the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library will reopen to the public at 10am on Wednesday 29 July, following a major refurbishment!

The Millennium Library is one of the busiest public libraries in the UK and is set to celebrate its 25th anniversary later this year. This work will help to transform the experience for the one million people who visit each year. Improvements include a new bookshop-style entrance, increased study space, dedicated areas for older children and teens, enhanced lighting and furniture, charging points, new events spaces and (because so many of you asked) air con in the early years library!

Ahead of the Millennium Library reopening, the pop-up library (also in The Forum, Norwich) will close at 5pm on Friday 24 July to allow books and equipment to be moved into the main library. So please be aware there will be a brief period between 5pm Friday 24 and 10am Wednesday 29 where there will not be any library service available in the building.

We are SO excited to welcome you to the brand new Millennium Library on Wednesday 29 July. We will be sharing some sneak peek photos of what you can expect ahead of opening (at the moment there are a LOT of boxes of books about the place so bear with us). So keep following us here and on Instagram too for all the latest!

03/07/2026

Last Thursday as part of an ongoing project about the Macabre in Norfolk, the Norfolk Heritage Centre's Young Heritage Collective braved the heatwave and took a trip to Norwich Cathedral with Macabre expert (and Millennium Library staff member!) Luke. Beginning with the fascinating example of Thomas Gooding’s tomb, the group then had the chance to explore the cathedral to look at differing examples of funerary monuments and think about how they evolved over time. The group has previously looked at some Norfolk examples, such as the Three Living and Three Dead tale, and will be using what they’ve learned in creative sessions in upcoming weeks.

The Young Heritage Collective is for 13 -18 year olds, and meets fortnightly on Thursdays from 4.15-5.30pm; the group has tackled a variety of topics in the past, all inspired by lesser-known aspects of local history, including textiles, photography, LGBTQ+ stories, women’s history, and folklore through creative projects, working with the historic archive collections held at the Norfolk Heritage Centre on the top floor of the Millennium Library. If you or anyone you know is interested in joining the group, our new cohort is due to begin in September - please email [email protected] and we can provide more information.

16/06/2026

As part of our Heritage Hour lunchtime talks programme, we were excited to welcome speaker (and Norwich Whiffler!) Ian Woods today, as he explored the history of Snap, the Norwich Dragon.

During the talk, Ian delved into fact and fantasy, the Guild of St George, and the demise and revivals of a character inexorably woven into the life of Norwich from the 14th century to today; ending with a wonderful demonstration of Snap in action from Chris and Peter who also joined us from the Norwich Pageantry Group.

Thanks very much to Ian, Chris and Peter for such a memorable and interactive experience! You can find the Norwich Pageantry Group on Facebook, where they're currently fundraising to make significant improvements and repairs to the current Snap.

11/06/2026

EVENT REMINDER! The new King’s Lynn Library is home to one of the town’s least known, but most astonishing treasures: a library of about 2,000 early printed books.

Join us at King's Lynn Library for a unique chance to turn these books’ pages, with the guidance of members of the project team from the .

📆 Saturday 13 June
⏰ 10am - 3pm
📍 King’s Lynn Library, 46 New Conduit Street, PE30 1DL

This is a free, drop in event taking place on the top floor of the library. Stay for as little or as long as you like to explore these incredible historic books for yourself!

09/06/2026

New podcast episode alert! Listen to our guest speaker Pippa Lacey, Vice Chair of the Costume and Textile Association (C&TA) from her Heritage Hour talk ‘The Costume & Textile Association: Colourful Tales from a Fine City’ when she joined us at the Norfolk Heritage Centre in November 2025. Link in bio to listen on our Norfolk Heritage Centre blog, or find the episode on our Soundcloud by searching for the Norfolk Heritage Centre.

19/05/2026

As part of our Heritage Hour lunchtime talks programme, we were thrilled today to welcome Janet Zmroczek MBE, as she shared stories from her 40-year experience as a curator and departmental head at the British Library. Her work took her around the world from Almaty in Kazakhstan to Washington DC, but it all began here in Norwich, where in the late 1960s, while still at junior school she volunteered as a monitor in Norwich Central Library’s Children’s Library. Thanks Janet for a fascinating talk about all things library!

If you would like to learn more about our Heritage Hour talks, please head to our eventbrite: norfolkheritagecentre.eventbrite.co.uk to keep up to date and book on to upcoming events.

14/04/2026

‼️Please note, the closure of Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library for refurbishment also includes Norfolk Heritage Centre. We will be open as usual until Saturday 25th April and then closed until mid-July.

If you have a research enquiry that you would like support with during our closure, please email [email protected] and we will do our best to help you.

Events and groups will be running throughout the closed period in alternative venues. Please check our Eventbrite page for details (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/norfolk-heritage-centre-7488465877) or get in touch.

Follow the Norfolk Library and Information Service page for the latest updates on the refurbishment and dates of reopening.

Thank you for your patience and we look forward to welcoming you back this summer!

📚 Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library – Temporary Closure 📚

From Monday 27 April until mid‑July, the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library will be temporarily closed while we carry out an exciting refurbishment – the biggest upgrade since the library opened 25 years ago inside The Forum, Norwich.

👉 This work affects the library only – The Forum will remain open throughout.

The changes are based on your feedback, so what’s coming?
• A redesigned early years library (it’s River themed!)
• New, dedicated spaces for 8+ children and teens
• A bookshop‑style entrance for easier browsing
• More study space on the first floor
• Lower shelving, clearer signage and better wayfinding
• Updated lighting, new furniture with built‑in power points
• A new space for events and talks

🛠️ Why a full closure?
We know this will be disruptive for a couple of months. But closing the whole library at once allows the work to be completed sooner, it’s much safer and it’ll come in at a lower cost than closing one area at a time.

But don’t despair! We have worked hard to keep some services going during the temporary closure. That includes…
✅ A borrowing and return service inside The Forum (albeit on a smaller scale)
✅ Some regular groups and activities will continue, hosted in The Gallery at The Forum
✅ Period products and baby weighing facilities still available (baby weigh during Bounce & Rhyme sessions only)

Sadly, some of our usual facilities will be temporarily unavailable:
🚫 Public computers and printing (still available at other local libraries)
🚫 Study spaces and room bookings
🚫 Norfolk Heritage Centre and Business and IP Centre Norfolk.

We’ll share more details over the next couple of weeks.

Thank you for your patience – we can’t wait to welcome you back to a transformed library space 💙📖

15/12/2025

Free talk! Join us tomorrow (Tues 16th) at 1pm to hear Dr Helen Busby discuss the UEA's British Archive for Contemporary Writing, and learn more about the collections of writers including Dorothy Lessing, Lee Child and Roger Deakin. Booking essential.

Join Dr Helen Busby from the British Archive for Contemporary Writing, and learn more about the collections of writers including Lee Child.