Grantham Museum facts for kids
Grantham Museum is a cool place to visit in Grantham, Lincolnshire, England. It's located on St Peter's Hill in a special building that was made for it in 1926. This museum helps us learn about the history of Grantham and the amazing people connected to it.
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Discover Grantham Museum
The building where Grantham Museum is located has an interesting past. It used to be a public library! A group called the Carnegie UK Trust helped pay for it. This trust continued the work of Andrew Carnegie, who helped build many libraries across the United Kingdom.
Today, Grantham's main library is in a different place called the Isaac Newton Centre. This means the museum now uses the entire 1926 building. It's a great space to explore local history.
How the Museum Began
The idea for Grantham Museum started a long time ago, back in the 1890s. People from the Grantham Scientific Society had meetings and thought it would be great to have a museum.
The first collection of items came from Henry Preston. He was the museum's first Curator and its founder. Over the years, many more items were added.
What You Can Explore Inside
The museum has lots of interesting things to see. You can learn about famous people from the area, like Sir Isaac Newton, who was a brilliant scientist. There are also exhibits about Edith Smith, who was the first policewoman in the UK.
You can also discover more about Margaret Thatcher, who became a very important political leader as Prime Minister. The museum also has items about the famous Dambusters Raid from World War II. Plus, the museum often has new and exciting exhibitions throughout the year.
Who Looks After the Museum?
Today, the Grantham Museum is managed by a group called the Grantham Community Heritage Association (GCHA). This group is a charity. They started in 2011 to take over running the museum.
They wanted to make sure the museum reopened for the Queen's Jubilee in June 2012. Thanks to them, the museum continues to be a place where people can learn and explore.
The Margaret Thatcher Statue
In 2013, plans were made to get a statue of Margaret Thatcher. This was a few months before she passed away. The Grantham Community Heritage Association helped raise money for it.
The statue was placed on St Peter's Hill Green in 2022. This spot is very close to the museum. It stands on a tall base, about 3.2 metres (10.5 feet) high. This helps protect it.
