Museum collections tell us about the past environment, biodiversity and people’s lives within the National Park. Museums and galleries may have collecting areas that reach a long way from their actual building. Almost all museums collect local history, some collect archaeological material and a few collect natural history specimens, including geology.
Archaeology collections from the South Downs National Park are housed at museums in:
· Winchester City;
· Hampshire County, including Alton;
· Chichester District;
· Worthing;
· Horsham;
· Brighton; and
· Museum of Sussex Archaeology, Lewes.
There are two art galleries with collections that hold works depicting the National Park:
· Towner at Eastbourne has important collections of landscape inspired works; and
· Pallant House Gallery in Chichester.
There are two museums that collect natural history, these are:
· Booth Museum, Brighton; and
· Hampshire County Museum service.
Archives and libraries are important sources of information on the history of the National Park. Libraries in West Sussex and Brighton have local history resources including original material. County Records Offices have to meet certain standards of archive practice, as they are the official holders of records for the justice system. This also helps to safeguard the many other collections they hold such as estate papers, tithe maps and local maps and records. Some archives are still held privately and contain much information about the landholdings of major families living in the park for example, Arundel Castle’s archive of the Norfolk family papers.