Grantham Museum facts for kids
Grantham Museum is a fascinating place to learn about history! It is located in Grantham, Lincolnshire, England. The museum is housed in a building that used to be the town's public library. It moved into this special building in 1926.
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History
The Museum's Building
The building where Grantham Museum is located today was once a public library. A big part of its funding came from the Carnegie UK Trust. This trust continued the work of Andrew Carnegie, who helped build many libraries across the United Kingdom. Architects Gilbert A. Ballard and H.A. Gold designed the library. Grantham's public library is now in a different place, the Isaac Newton Centre. This means the museum now uses the entire old library building. The idea for a museum in Grantham started with meetings of the Grantham Scientific Society in the 1890s.
Who Manages the Museum?
The Grantham Community Heritage Association (GCHA) currently manages the museum. This is a charity that started in 2011. They took over running the museum from Lincolnshire County Council. Their goal was to reopen the museum for the Queen's Jubilee in June 2012.
The Margaret Thatcher Statue
In 2013, the GCHA announced plans to raise money for a statue of Margaret Thatcher. She was a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The statue was placed on St Peter's Hill Green in 2022. This spot is very close to the museum. The statue stands on a base that is 3.2-metre (10 ft) tall. This height helps to prevent damage to the statue.
Collection
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum's collection started with items given by Henry Preston. He was the first Curator and Founder of the museum. Over the years, many new items have been added. These include things about famous people like Sir Isaac Newton, Edith Smith, and Margaret Thatcher. There are also items related to the Dambusters Raid. The museum often has different special exhibitions throughout the year. This means there's always something new to discover!
External links
- Local tourism information about the museum
- Grantham museum official website: http://www.granthammuseum.org.uk/
