Baked Bean Museum of Excellence facts for kids
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| Established | January 2009 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 2023 |
| Location | Port Talbot, Wales, United Kingdom |
| Type | Food museum |
| Key holdings | Popular culture items related to baked beans |
| Founder | Barry Kirk |
The Baked Bean Museum of Excellence was a special private museum located in Port Talbot, Wales, United Kingdom. It was a unique place dedicated entirely to baked beans and items related to them. The museum closed its doors in 2023.
Contents
History of the Museum
How It Started
The Baked Bean Museum of Excellence first opened in 2009. It was created by a man named Barry Kirk. He was such a big fan of baked beans that he officially changed his name to Captain Beany!
A Museum in a Home
What made this museum even more unusual was its location. It wasn't in a big building, but actually inside Captain Beany's own home. He used his living room, bathroom, and kitchen to display his amazing collection.
Why It Closed
Captain Beany decided to close the museum in 2023. He announced that some of his valuable collection would be given to another museum in London. This way, parts of his unique bean collection can still be seen by others.
What Was on Display
Amazing Bean Collection
The museum was packed with over 500 different items related to baked beans. Visitors could see all sorts of things, like old food cans with different brand names. There were also many advertisements and special promotional items.
Famous Bean Brands
Captain Beany collected items from many well-known food brands. These included Heinz, Crosse & Blackwell, Branston, HP, and Van Camp's. He even had items connected to the funny character Mr Bean! Captain Beany spent more than £10,000 building up this incredible collection.
No Gift Shop?
Unlike most museums, the Baked Bean Museum of Excellence didn't have a gift shop inside. Instead, Captain Beany would set up a market stall on weekends. He sold souvenirs related to the museum and his Captain Beany character at local businesses.
Museum's Impact and Recognition
Official Recognition
The museum was officially registered with the Association of Independent Museums. This shows that it was a recognized and respected place, even though it was small and private. The famous comedian Danny Wallace was even a supporter of the museum.
A Popular Spot
In 2018, the Baked Bean Museum of Excellence was quite popular. According to TripAdvisor, it was the fourth most visited attraction in Port Talbot! This shows how many people were curious to see Captain Beany's unique collection.
Other Bean Museums
In 2010, Captain Beany believed his was the only museum in the world dedicated to baked beans. However, in 2019, Heinz, a very famous bean company, opened its own "Beanz Museum." This was a temporary museum, called a pop-up museum, in Covent Garden, London. It was open for a few days to celebrate Heinz's 150th anniversary.
See also
- Museums in Wales
- Tourism in Wales
