Armitt Library facts for kids
The Armitt Museum, also known as the Armitt Museum and Library, is a special place in Ambleside, Cumbria, England. It's a museum and a library that was started in 1909 by Mary Louisa Armitt. It's run by a charity, which means it's a non-profit group that helps the community.
History of the Armitt Museum
The Armitt Museum and Library was created because Mary Louisa Armitt wanted to celebrate the smart and creative people of Ambleside. She left money in her will to make this happen. The idea for the library actually started much earlier, with the Ambleside Book Society in 1828. This book society later became part of the library.
The library officially opened its doors on November 8, 1912. Hardwicke Rawnsley, who helped start the National Trust (a group that protects special places), even wrote a poem to celebrate its opening. He mentioned Mary Louisa Armitt and her sister, Sophia Armitt, as the "two happy sister spirits" behind the idea.
Beatrix Potter's Gifts
A very famous author and artist, Beatrix Potter, gave many books and paintings to the Armitt Museum during her life. When she passed away, she left her amazing collections of nature drawings and her own copies of her popular "little books" to the museum. You can see these special items on display in an exhibition called Beatrix Potter: Image and Reality.
The Building and Collections
The building you see today was built in 1997. It's made from local slate and stone, fitting in with the beautiful Lake District area. It stands on land that used to belong to St Martin's College.
The Armitt also has a collection of artworks by Kurt Schwitters. He was a German artist who came to live in Ambleside as a refugee and stayed there until he died.
The library is home to more than 11,000 books! These books are all about the local history and nature of Ambleside and the wider Lake District. It's a fantastic place to find information about important people connected to the area. These include Mary Louisa Armitt herself, the poet William Wordsworth, the writer Harriet Martineau, the artist John Ruskin, the painter Frederic Yates, Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley, and the artist Kurt Schwitters.
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