Jewry Wall Museum facts for kids
The Jewry Wall Museum is a fascinating museum in Leicester, England. It was built in the 1960s. The museum stands right next to the ancient Jewry Wall ruins. It used to share its building with Vaughan College. Inside, you can discover amazing objects from the Iron Age, Roman times, and the medieval period in Leicester. In 2013, the city council took over the whole building. They started making plans to make the museum even bigger and better!
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Discovering the Jewry Wall Site
The area next to the Jewry Wall was dug up by an archaeologist named Kathleen Kenyon. She worked there between 1936 and 1939. Her team found the foundations of an old Roman bath house deep underground. After World War II, a new road called Vaughan Way was built. This meant tearing down the old Vaughan Working Men's College. A new building was then constructed next to the Roman ruins. This new building became home to both the adult learning college and a brand new museum. The museum was built to hold all the Roman and medieval treasures found in Leicester.
About the Museum Building
The museum building was finished in 1962. It is considered a special historical building, known as Grade II listed. Until 2013, the museum was located on the ground floor. Above it was Vaughan College, which was part of Leicester University. Construction of the building started in 1960 and took two years to complete. The building was designed by an architect named Trevor Dannatt.
Leicester City Council runs the museum. The best part is that it's completely free to enter!
In 2004, the city council wanted to save money. They suggested reducing the museum's opening hours. Because of this, a group called the "Friends of Jewry Wall Museum" was formed. This group has been working hard to support and promote the museum ever since.
Even with their efforts, the council did reduce the museum's opening times. This was to help save money. The museum even closes for several months during the winter. A councillor named John Mugglestone explained the decision. He said they had "more curators than visitors" at the time.
The museum faced another challenge in 2011. The city council announced plans to close it, along with two other museums. This was also to save money. However, this decision was changed. Local councillors, led by Ross Willmott, stepped in to keep the museum open.
Plans for Expansion
The University of Leicester used to own the museum building. The museum had a long-term agreement to use the ground floor. In 2013, the university decided they would no longer use the building. They put it up for sale. In March 2016, Leicester City Council was able to buy the building.
Now, the council has exciting plans to improve and expand the museum. They want to use both floors of the building. This will make it easier for visitors to see the museum and the amazing Roman ruins. In recent years, many new Roman objects have been found. This is because developers have to do archaeological digs when they build new sites across the city.
Amazing Things You Can See
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Mosaic of Cyparissus
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The Blackfriars Roman Pavement
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The Norfolk Street Roman Wall Paintings
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Tiles from Leicester Abbey
