Danum Gallery, Library and Museum facts for kids
The new museum, gallery and library under construction, now completed
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 1964 |
|---|---|
| Location | Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England |
| Type | Military Museum |
The Danum Gallery, Library and Museum is a cool place in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It used to be called the Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery. This building is home to a museum, an art gallery, and a library, offering lots to explore and learn.
Contents
Exploring the Museum's Past
The very first Doncaster Museum opened its doors in 1909. It was located in a building called Beechfield House. For a while, it even had a small zoo!
A New Home for Collections
In 1964, the museum moved to a special building built just for it. This new place on Chequer Road could show off many different collections. These included items about nature, old archaeological finds, local history, and beautiful art.
- One amazing discovery happened in 2008. Scientists found the bones of an extinct sea creature, an Ichthyosaurus anningae, in the museum's collection. It was officially named in 2015.
- The museum also displays the Roman Danum shield. This ancient shield was found right in Doncaster in 1971.
- You can also find the Regimental Museum of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry here. This part of the museum tells the story of a local army group.
The museum was even recognized for its popularity! In 2009, it won an award for having the "Most Improved Audience Figures."
The New Danum Gallery, Library and Museum
The old museum building closed on January 17, 2020. This was so everything could move to a brand-new, modern building.
Building a Modern Hub
The new building was planned to open in summer 2020. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused some delays. The construction of the new £14 million building was finished in October 2020. The new and improved 'The Danum Gallery, Library and Museum' finally opened to the public on May 29, 2021. This new building even includes parts of the old Doncaster High School for Girls building.
Celebrating Rail History
A special rail heritage centre opened inside the new venue on September 19, 2021. This centre celebrates Doncaster's important role in the railway industry.
- You can see two famous locomotives there. One is the Great Northern Railway C1 class locomotive No. 251.
- The other is the London and North Eastern Railway Class V2 4771 locomotive Green Arrow.
- Both of these impressive trains were built in Doncaster. They are on loan from the National Railway Museum and arrived in February 2021.
The original museum site on Chequer Road now holds the Doncaster Archives and Local Studies Library. This means it's still a place for learning and discovery!
