Broadcast Engineering Museum 2026 open days

[ppppenguin]

Our first open day of 2026 will be on Sunday 5 April, 11am to 4pm. A special feature at our Easter opening will be a display of pirate radio memorabilia from Chris Dannatt’s Flashback ‘67 Exhibition This is included in your entrance fee. 

We’ve been doing a lot of work at the museum over the winter. One improvement is flat or ramped access to all museum displays.

Experience new and old favourites at our rapidly evolving working museum. Our 1968 vintage Southern OB truck will be shown working with its cameras in Studio 1. Other OB trucks will be in Studio 1 and outside. You can create the magic of TV lighting in our dedicated display.

We continue to develop our videotape and telecine areas, transmitter hall, production gallery and central apparatus room. There will be demonstrations of football results on a teleprinter and of our RCA quadruplex 2” VTR. Don’t forget our displays of vintage cameras, microphones, other sound equipment and our ever-popular green screen. Our selection of TV sets is now in Mr Snoddy’s shop, next door to his workshop.


In 2026 our Sunday open days are:

* 5 April
* 3 May
* 7 June
* 5 July
* 2 August (including a British Vintage Wireless Society swapmeet)
* 4 October
* 1 November

We will also open for Heritage Open Days on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September.

https://becg.org.uk/
If you would like to be on our email list please message me.

[ppppenguin]

Our first open day in 2026 was a great success. More than 70 visitors enjoyed our exhibits and demonstrations, both old and new. 

We are planning four domestic living room displays. The first one that's ready is the migraine-inducing 1970s room,

Chris Dannatt brought his "Flashback '67" exhibit of pirate radio memorabilia.The photo shows Chris and his friend, Sam, working hard to set up the huge number of posters, scrapbooks and other artefacts. These included a life jacket reputedly used by John Peel.  Chris is keen to come to another of our open days -  he has even more stuff in his collection that wasn't shown.

Next open day is 3rd May.

[ppppenguin]

Our next open day is on Sunday 3rd May. 11am to 4pm.

If you would like to be on our mailing list please send me a message. You'll get "Line-Up" our newsletter when it's hot off the press and a few other mailings each year. There is no cost or obligation.

Past issues of Line-Up are here: https://becg.org.uk/newsletters/ Issue 13 has just been sent to those on the mailing list. I've attached an extract.

[Radio Fixer]

Glad that the Museum is being appreciated Jeffrey, I may even get there one day. Lots of effort being put in but I guess enjoyable.

Great idea the nostalgic 50's and 70's rooms. I wonder where you sourced the wallpaper ? We had some like that ...

Gary

[ppppenguin]

Yes, it's a lot of hard work.

I think the wallpaper was from Amazon.

We would love to see you visit. From Southend you'll definitely need to make a weekend of it. Gainsborough Travelodge is convenient and usually cheap. Lots of places to stay around Lincoln. Lincoln is an interesting city. Cathedral, Birkett's shop is still there, and a very good museum.

[ppppenguin]

A reminder of our open day on Sunday 3rd May. The forecast looks pleasant too.

https://becg.org.uk/event/may-open-day-2026/
If you're coming from the south, to avoid the truckfest at Lincoln Showground, go via the A1133 and A156 to Gainsborough, then A631 to Hemswell Cliff. On a good day it's only about 2 miles and 10 minutes longer than the A46/A15. Steers well clear of the truckfest and is pleasanter than flogging through all the roundabouts on the A46.

   
Buy your next TV at Mr Snoddy's shop

[CambridgeWorks]

Unfortunately forecast has changed.
Although maybe 30 miles South, the Dambusters rally at Thorpe Camp rain forecast looks bad enough for me not to attend, let alone take stuff to sell.
Suchba shame after all this recent dry weather.
Rob