Gas Museum facts for kids
The Gas Museum, also known as the National Gas Museum, is a special place in Leicester, England. It's located in an old gatehouse that used to be part of a gasworks (a factory where gas was made). This museum teaches us all about how gas has been used in homes and industries throughout history. People say it has the largest collection of gas-related items in the world!
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About the Museum Building
The building where the museum is located is very old and important. It was built in 1878 and has a cool clock tower. This building is officially recognized as a Grade II listed building. This means it's a historic place that needs to be protected.
The museum itself has two floors for visitors to explore. There are also more than 4,000 items kept safely in storage. The museum first opened its doors on April 29, 1977. Back then, it was called the John Doran Museum.
How the Museum Started
The museum was originally one of two museums run by a company called the British Gas Corporation. In 1987, British Gas became a private company. After this, the museum was taken over by a charity called the National Gas Museum Trust. This trust was created specifically to look after the museum.
Later, in 1998, other collections of gas history items were moved to this museum. These came from the London Gas Museum and another historical society. This made the Gas Museum even bigger and better!
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum has many interesting displays. You can learn about how gas has been used in the United Kingdom over the years. There are also lots of examples of old gas technology.
One popular display shows a 1920s kitchen. It's set up with all the gas appliances people used back then. You can see old gas washing machines, gas irons, and even a radio that ran on gas!
From Town Gas to Natural Gas
Many of the items in the museum were made to work with something called "town gas". This was a type of gas made from coal. In the 1970s, the UK switched to using "natural gas" instead. This meant many old gas appliances had to be replaced. British Gas engineers collected these old items, and now they are part of the museum's amazing collection.
Who Runs the Museum Today
The National Gas Museum Trust still runs the museum. They get financial help from companies like Centrica and National Grid plc. This support helps keep the museum open and allows them to continue sharing the history of gas with everyone.
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The All-Gas Kitchen display, showing how a 1920s kitchen looked.
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A view of some of the displays on the museum's upper floor.
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A collection of old gas meters used to measure gas usage.
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An old radio set that was powered by gas.
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A gas engine on display inside the museum.
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The exterior of the Gas Museum building.
See also
- List of petroleum museums
External links
- National Gas Museum website
