Clifton Park and Museum facts for kids
Clifton Park Museum
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| Established | 1891 |
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| Location | Rotherham, South Yorkshire |
| Owner | Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham |
Clifton Park and Museum is a fantastic place in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. It's a big city park and a cool museum all in one! The museum is inside a historic building called Clifton House. This house is super old and important, so it's a "Grade II* listed building" – which means it's a very special historic place. The park is also special, listed as "Grade II" by Historic England. It has lots of fun things to do, like a skate park, play areas, and beautiful gardens.
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History of Clifton Park and House
Clifton House was built a long time ago, in 1784. It was designed by a famous architect named John Carr for Joshua Walker. Joshua Walker was an important businessman who made iron and steel.
The land around the house, which is now the park, used to have walled gardens, pretty pleasure grounds, and even a fishpond. Over the years, some of these original features changed as the park grew.
In 1891, the town of Rotherham bought the house and park. The museum first opened to the public later that same year. Many of the first items on display were borrowed from local people. In 1974, the museum building got a big makeover. Its dark stone was cleaned, and a roof was added over what used to be an open courtyard.
Clifton Park Museum
In 2003, the museum closed for a huge upgrade to the building and its displays. This project cost £3 million! They fixed the roof, heating, windows, and electrical systems. They also added new exhibits and made the museum better for visitors.
New things included a study room, a cafeteria, and a gift shop. A lift was put in so that everyone, including visitors with disabilities, could easily explore the whole building. The inside of the museum was redecorated to look exactly like it did when it was a grand Georgian country house in the 1700s. Clifton Park Museum officially re-opened on January 29, 2005.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum has many different collections. You can learn about the local history of Rotherham, including its industries. There are also ancient items from archaeology, things from natural sciences, old coins and medals, and beautiful art.
One cool exhibit is "Nelson," a stuffed Cape Lion! The museum is also famous for its amazing collection of Rockingham Pottery. This pottery was made in the area, and the museum has some very rare pieces, like a special porcelain 'Rhinoceros Vase'. These vases were made to show off how skilled the pottery makers were.
York and Lancaster Regimental Museum
Inside Clifton Park Museum, there's another special museum called the York and Lancaster Regimental Museum. This part of the museum tells the story of the York and Lancaster Regiment, a famous army group, and the older regiments that came before it. You can see old uniforms, army equipment, and guns from different periods of history.
Clifton Park
Clifton Park is a very important green space, and like the museum, it's also "Grade II listed" by Historic England. Even the gate piers at one of the entrances are listed!
The park was officially opened on June 25, 1891, by the Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VII. After it opened, new footpaths, entrances, and facilities were added between 1891 and 1893. A special beech tree was planted in the 1830s to celebrate Queen Victoria's coronation.
Later additions to the park include the main entrance in 1900, the Cenotaph (a war memorial) in 1922, and the Memorial Gardens in 1948. The park received a big award of £7.6 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. With this money, new features were added between 2009 and 2011, like a fun water play area. A new walled garden was also built, and different groups now take care of plots within it.
The memorial garden has beautiful floral displays and a fountain. The fountain is engraved with the names of people from Rotherham who won the Victoria Cross, a very brave award. The rock garden has a waterfall and ponds. There's also a new garden house and courtyard for events and toilets. The house garden has pretty plants like Japanese maples and bamboos.
Fun Things to Do in the Park
Besides the museum, Clifton Park has tons of activities!
- You can ride a landtrain.
- There's a children's play area.
- You can play mini golf or crazy golf.
- There's a sand pit and a wet splash area for hot days.
- Explore the rock garden and the memorial garden.
- Show off your skills at the skate park.
- Have fun at the fun park.
- Play on the bowling green or tennis courts.
- It's a great spot for picnicking and walking.
- Listen to music at the bandstand.
- A Parkrun (a free, timed running event) happens every Saturday morning.
Images for kids
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Clifton Park Museum
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1758 soldier's uniform in the York and Lancaster Regimental Museum
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Rockingham Pottery
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The museum
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The memorial garden
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in South Yorkshire
- Listed buildings in Rotherham (Boston Castle Ward)
