Angela White, of Kingston Lane, Dartmouth, writes:

David Gent says: 'The museum is concerned with the past. I am concerned with the present,' Chronicle, March 15.

I have been a museum designer all my life and have worked in museums in Greenwich, Portsmouth, Bedford and Dartmouth, including Britannia Royal Naval College, and in every case we seek to bring the nation's history alive, to make it relevant and to learn from past successes and mistakes.

Our town museum looks back to discover why the town is the way it is, from the decisions made, the imagination and courage of its inhabitants and the political and economic struggles between businessmen, builders, landowners , financiers and ordinary working people.

Had the museum acquired the flat, we would have been able to create a state-of-the-art education centre for our children and it is they who will shape our future.