Birmingham Museum Collection Centre facts for kids
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| Location | Nechells, Birmingham, England |
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| Type | Museum store |
| Visitors | 1,601 (2022) |
The Museum Collection Centre (often called MCC) is a huge building in Nechells, Birmingham, England. It's like a giant storage facility for the Birmingham Museums Trust. This amazing place holds about 80% of all the museum's stored items in one spot! It's one of the biggest museum storage places in the whole United Kingdom.
Contents
What's Inside the Museum Collection Centre?
The MCC is home to thousands of different objects. Imagine all the cool things a museum collects, but doesn't always have space to show!
Amazing Collections You Can Find
- Old Machines: There are many steam engines here. Some of these came from the old Birmingham Museum of Science and Industry.
- Art and Cars: You can also find sculptures and a collection of classic cars. These include vehicles from famous British brands like Austin, Rover, and MG.
- Everyday Icons: Even everyday items that are now historical are stored here. This includes a classic red telephone box and a unique Sinclair C5 electric vehicle.
Visiting the Museum Collection Centre
Even though it's mainly a storage facility, the Museum Collection Centre opens its doors to the public.
How to Visit
- Monthly Openings: The MCC usually opens once a month for visitors.
- Special Days: They also have extra open days. These often happen during the Spring and Summer Bank Holidays.
- Arranged Visits: If you're part of a group, you might be able to arrange a special visit.
The Museum in a Box Service
The MCC also runs a cool program called "The Museum in a Box." This service lets schools and community groups borrow real historical items. It's a great way to learn about history up close!
Discovering Hidden Treasures
Sometimes, amazing discoveries are made right inside the collection.
The Passenger Pigeon Discovery
In September 2014, a trainee curator named Lukas Large found something very special. He uncovered a taxidermied (preserved) specimen of a passenger pigeon. This bird is now extinct, meaning there are no more left alive anywhere in the world. Finding one of these rare specimens was a very exciting moment!
