Boston Guildhall Museum is celebrating a remarkable achievement after receiving an impressive 90% overall score in its latest Visit England Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme (VAQAS) assessment, marking a significant increase from 82% achieved in 2025.
The result confirms Boston Guildhall’s continued status as a Visit England Quality Assured Visitor Attraction and highlights the dedication of staff and ongoing investment in enhancing the visitor experience.
Standing proudly in the heart of Boston, Boston Guildhall is one of the finest surviving medieval guildhalls in England. Built in the late 14th century, the Grade I listed building has witnessed more than 600 years of history, serving as a guildhall, courtroom, prison and civic centre.
Today, it welcomes visitors from across the UK and beyond, offering a fascinating insight into Boston’s influential trading heritage, its connections with the Pilgrim Fathers and the stories of the people who have shaped the historic Lincolnshire market town.
The latest assessment praised the museum’s commitment to quality, with particularly notable improvements in both the Arrival and Attraction categories. The Attraction score rose dramatically from 80% to 93%, reflecting the museum’s ongoing efforts to engage and inspire visitors.
Further recognition came through a perfect 100% score for Cleanliness, while the newly assessed Retail category also achieved 100%, demonstrating the positive impact of recent investment in visitor facilities. The report also acknowledged the consistently high standards maintained across Staff and Toilets categories.
The assessor commented on the visible dedication of the team, noting the warm and welcoming experience provided by staff, who also successfully manage the town’s Tourist Information Centre alongside their museum responsibilities.
Recent improvements, including enhancements to the visitor welcome area, retail space, external signage and refreshed branding, were highlighted as key factors contributing to the museum’s success.
The recent renovation works were funded through the 2023-5 Boston UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme, with a grant of £39,364 given to support this vital heritage asset.
Cllr Sarah Sharpe, Portfolio Holder for Heritage, Culture and Tourism at Boston Borough Council, said: “We’re really pleased with this year’s VAQAS result. Achieving a score of 90% is a fantastic achievement and reflects the hard work and dedication of everyone involved.
“The report highlights the great experience we aim to give our visitors every day, as well as the positive difference made by recent improvements to the museum and its facilities.
“We’re especially pleased to see a big increase in our Attraction score and to have achieved perfect scores for both Cleanliness and Retail.
“Boston Guildhall has a unique and important story to share, and these results show our commitment to making every visit enjoyable, informative and memorable.
“We’d like to thank all our staff, volunteers and supporters for their continued hard work and support in helping us achieve this success.”
The Visit England assessor concluded that the recent improvements provide an excellent platform for future development and expressed confidence in the attraction’s future performance, citing the enthusiasm and commitment of the team as a key strength.
For more information about Boston Guildhall Museum please visit https://www.boston.gov.uk/bostonguildhall and for recent updates follow their Facebook.
