Bassetlaw Museum facts for kids
| Established | 1983 |
|---|---|
| Location | Retford, Nottinghamshire, |
The Bassetlaw Museum is a cool place in Retford, Nottinghamshire. It shows off the history of North Nottinghamshire, from way back in time to today. You can find it on Grove Street in Retford.
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Discovering History at Bassetlaw Museum
The Bassetlaw Museum first opened its doors in 1983. Many of its amazing items were given by people who live in the local area. The museum has collections about local history, old archaeological finds, beautiful art, farming tools, and even old clothes.
The museum is located in a special building called Amcott House. This house was built in the 1700s and is a very important historic building. The museum moved into Amcott House in 1986. The best part? It's completely free to visit!
What Can You See? Top Collections
The Bassetlaw Museum has many interesting things to explore. Here are some of the highlights:
- Art Gallery: This gallery was built in 1994. It features different types of art for you to enjoy.
- Photography Collection: Get ready to see tons of old photos! The museum has over 21,000 negatives from Edgar Welchman and Son, who were photographers in Retford from 1910 to 1960. There are also more than 25,000 other photos of towns, villages, and people from North Nottinghamshire, some dating back to the 1850s.
- Carlton-in-Lindrick Knight: This is a really old stone carving of a knight. It's a unique piece of history!
- Anglo-Saxon Log Boat: Imagine a boat made from a single tree trunk! The museum has an ancient log boat from the Anglo-Saxon period.
- Autochromes by Stephen Pegler: See some of the earliest color photographs ever made. They look almost magical!
- The Pilgrims Gallery: This special gallery opened in 2019. It remembers the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower ship's journey to America in 1620. You can even see a recreated study of William Brewster, one of the Pilgrims.
- Rural Heritage Centre: Learn about farming and country life from the past.
- Costume Collection: Check out clothes from different time periods. It's like a fashion show through history!
Exciting Events and News
The Bassetlaw Museum often hosts fun events and projects:
- The Retford Positivity Rock Snake: In 2020, during the Coronavirus crisis, the museum was part of a community art project. People painted rocks and added them to a long "snake" outside the museum, spreading positive messages.
- The Wampanoag Perspective Project: In 2021, the museum welcomed members of the Wampanoag Nation. This project helped local kids learn about Native American culture and the shared history between the Wampanoag people and the Bassetlaw area. Visitors even watched a traditional Wampanoag home, called a Wetu, being built on the museum grounds.
Awards and Recognition
The Bassetlaw Museum has won some cool awards and received important funding:
- In 2009, it was named the Nottinghamshire Museum of the Year.
- In 2002, the museum received £78,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. This money helped them buy and make digital copies of the huge Welchman Collection of photographs.
- In 2019, the museum got a big boost of £750,000 to build the amazing Pilgrim's Gallery. Most of this money came from the Heritage Lottery Fund, with other local groups helping too.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Nottinghamshire
- Listed buildings in Retford
