Cider Museum, Hereford facts for kids
The Cider Museum is a special place in Hereford, England. It tells the amazing story of cider and how it's been made over hundreds of years. The museum was started in the 1970s by Bertram Bulmer, Norman Weston, and John Hudson. They wanted to save the history of cider making before it was forgotten. Most of the museum's items come from England, especially the West Country.
The museum building itself is very old. It was once a cider factory built in 1888 in Hereford. This was where the famous Bulmer's Cider began. Henry Percival Bulmer started making cider here in 1887. His brother Fred joined him, and they bought land to build their first cider-making shed. Later, in 1889, they dug out large cellars. The building grew to include both the factory and offices. A grand new front was added in the 1920s.
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How the Cider Museum Started
In the 1970s, the museum's founders began researching cider history. They started collecting old documents, photos, and tools. They also talked to people who used to make cider to record their stories. They even surveyed all the old cider mills in Herefordshire.
Finding a Home for the Museum
At first, they opened a small "pop-up" museum in a shop in Hereford. This was to show off the items they had collected. In 1978, they agreed to rent the old Bulmer offices. Later, the Hereford Cider Museum Trust bought the building. After a lot of hard work to fix it up, the museum officially opened in 1981. It showed the history of cider making from all over the world.
Building the Museum Entrance
The part of the building you see when you arrive is actually the back of the original factory. To make a better entrance, the Beam Press Gallery was added in the 1980s. This new part was built using bricks and wood from an old cider factory called Godwins. You can still see presses from that factory in the museum's cellars.
What the Museum Shows
The museum was designed to guide visitors through the cider-making process. It starts with the apple orchards. Then it shows how cider was made in farmhouses. Finally, it covers the history and science of cider making from the 1500s onwards. You can see how cider making changed from a small home craft to a big industry. The old company Boardroom and the Champagne Cider Cellars show this change.
The Cider Museum is an independent charity. It is not part of the Bulmer company. It earns money from tickets, events, its shop, and tearoom. The museum also welcomes retired Bulmer's workers for coffee mornings.
Important Collections Arrive
A very important collection came to the museum in 2003. This happened when Bulmer's company was taken over by Scottish & Newcastle. The museum received a rare collection of 18th-century cider glasses. These glasses are over 200 years old!
The museum was also the first place in Britain in 200 years to get a special license. This license allowed them to distill cider into brandy. They stopped making brandy in 2012. However, their work inspired Julian Temperley in Somerset to get his own license.
Exhibits and Events at the Museum
The museum collects all sorts of things related to cider. This includes modern marketing items and old books from the 1600s. Sometimes, on Heritage Open Days, visitors can see the museum's storage areas. Researchers can also book time to look through the archives.
What You Can See on a Tour
When you visit, you can learn about the history of cider making. Some of the amazing things you can see include:
- A 300-year-old French Beam Press.
- A rare collection of English lead crystal cider glasses from 1730.
- Beautiful paintings of different types of apples and pears.
You can also walk through the original cider cellars. Here, you'll see how "champagne-cider" was made. You can also explore a cooper's workshop (where barrels are made). There's also a vat house and a bottling line. After your tour, you can try cider and other products in the gift shop.
Annual Events and Competitions
The museum hosts many events throughout the year. These include talks and art exhibitions. They also hold major events like the International Cider and Perry Competition. This competition has been running since the early 1980s. It is very well-known in the cider-making world. In 2018, there were 210 different ciders and perries entered! The museum also holds a Cidermaking Festival.
