Keswick Museum facts for kids
Keswick Museum and Art Gallery in 2011
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| Established | 1873 |
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The Keswick Museum is a cool place to visit in Keswick, a town in the beautiful English Lake District. This museum shows off the amazing landscape, interesting history, and unique culture of the area. It's a great spot to learn about what makes the Lake District special!
Contents
Museum's Story
The museum first opened its doors in 1873. It was started by a group called the Keswick Literary and Scientific Society. They set up the first collection in a building called the Moot Hall.
One of the most exciting things they had right from the start was a huge 3D model of the Lake District. It was 12 feet long and 9 feet wide! Joseph and James Flintoft made this detailed model way back in 1837.
New Home for the Museum
The museum soon needed a bigger home. So, in 1897, a special building was made for it in Fitz Park. This new building was a tribute to the Hewetson brothers, who were very kind people from Keswick.
In 1906, a famous person named Cannon Hardwicke Rawnsley helped open the art gallery section of the museum. He was one of the people who started the National Trust, which helps protect important places.
Keeping the Museum Going
Over the years, the museum faced some money problems. But don't worry, the local council stepped in to help in 1994. Later, in 2007, a special company was set up to run the museum.
The museum building got a big makeover between 2012 and 2014. It cost a lot of money, but it made the museum even better for visitors.
What You Can See
The Keswick Museum has a huge collection of about 20,000 different items! Only a small part of these are on display at any time. The museum mostly collects things from the area around Keswick.
Cool Things to Discover
The museum has many interesting objects that tell the story of Keswick's landscape, history, and culture. Of course, the giant 3D model of the Lake District is still there!
You can also see the amazing Musical Stones of Skiddaw. These are like musical instruments made from special rocks found on Skiddaw mountain. People have been making these "stone pianos" for over 200 years! The rocks from Skiddaw are known for making clear, long-lasting sounds.
Other unique items include:
- A 700-year-old mummified cat found inside a church wall.
- An old-fashioned penny-farthing bicycle, with its giant front wheel.
- A man-trap, which was a device used long ago to catch poachers.
Special Collections
The museum also has the Hugh Walpole Collection. This includes handwritten stories from all of the Herries novels by Hugh Walpole. These four books are all set in the Lake District. You can also see letters that famous writers sent to Hugh Walpole.
The Mountain Heritage Trust often has special exhibitions at the museum. These shows focus on mountain climbing and famous climbers. For example, one exhibition featured Chris Bonington, a very well-known mountaineer.
