Tune in to our new podcast, The Chelmsford Broadcast!

The Museum of Chelmsford has launched its first ever podcast series!

Hosted by our very own brilliant hosts, Learning Officer Helen Brown and Museum Duty Manager Rachel Webber, with contributions from the wider museum team, The Chelmsford Broadcast explores the people, places, objects and memories that have shaped Chelmsford’s story.

Launching today, the debut episode explores Marconi history and Chelmsford’s role in the development of radio broadcasting over 100 years ago. Available to listen now!

The Chelmsford Broadcast pays homage to Chelmsford’s identity as the birthplace of radio, featuring regular ‘segments’ in the style of a news broadcast. Even the podcast music – created by Chelmsford-born musician Chester Tribley – features a nod to the city’s transmission heritage, with the title music spelling out ‘Chelmsford’ in morse code!

Each 30-minute episode creates tangible links between the events of Chelmsford’s rich and varied history and the modern-day Museum of Chelmsford. From curators sharing stories of objects in the museum’s collections, to Rachel’s tales of Oaklands House and Park before it became home to the Museum of Chelmsford.

Another segment, ‘Chelmsfordian of the Week’, looks at some of the important and sometimes little-known figures who were born or lived in Chelmsford, while ‘Overheard at the Museum’ sees volunteers muse on recent developments and events at the museum.

We worked with freelance museums podcast producer, Megan Jones (creator and host of the Museums ‘n’ That podcast) to design and create a four-part series celebrating our collections. This pilot series has been made possible thanks to funding from Arts Council England’s Museum Renewal Fund.

Coming up in future episodes, Rachel delves into the eccentricities of previous Oaklands owner Fred Wells; Community Engagement Officer Maxine Dempster shares the story of the first woman in the UK to be fined for speeding; and Curator and Exhibitions Officer Sarah Harvey reveals an interesting discovery about the museum’s beloved taxidermy mascot, Boris the Bear!

Plus, to coincide with the launch of our next exhibition, Timeless Treasures: Unlocking the Story of the Great Baddow Hoard, in episode two (releasing 17 July) Curator and Exhibitions Officer Claire Willets will explore the mystery of this Iron Age gold hoard.

Episodes of The Chelmsford Broadcast will release monthly until September! Listen for free on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.