Lichfield Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1981 |
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| Location | Market Square,
Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 6LG England |
The Lichfield Museum was a special place that showed the history of Lichfield, a city in England. It used to be called the "Lichfield Heritage Centre." The museum was located in the heart of Lichfield, on the second floor of St Mary's Church.
The museum first opened its doors on May 30, 1981. This happened after the old St Mary's Church building was changed into a place for the community. The second floor was then used to display items and tell stories about Lichfield's past. The museum was run mostly by people who volunteered their time. It was also a charity, meaning it relied on donations and its own money to operate. Sadly, the museum closed in 2018 when St Mary's Church was renovated again to become a new community hub.
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What Was Inside the Museum?
The Lichfield Museum had many interesting things for visitors to see. It featured a special collection of valuable items. These included fancy cups and bowls from the city, the local church area (Diocese of Lichfield), and even the Staffordshire Regiment.
Lichfield's Photo and Document Collection
The museum also had the Lichfield Heritage Collection. This was a huge collection with over 6,000 photographs. It also included old negatives, newspapers, reports, and other cool items. These pieces of history showed what Lichfield was like over the past 150 years.
Ancient Charters and Oldest Books
One part of the museum held some of the oldest objects. These included the city's ancient charters. Charters are like official documents that give rights or rules. The oldest one on display was from Queen Mary in 1553. There were many others from different centuries, right up to Elizabeth II. The very oldest document shown was the Guild Book of St Mary's Guild. This book covered the years from 1387 to 1680.
Stories from the Past
Visitors could also watch two audio-visual presentations. These videos told stories about Lichfield's very old history. They explained how the famous Cathedral was built. The presentations also covered the battles that happened in Lichfield during the English Civil War.
The Staffordshire Millennium Embroideries
One of the most unique things at the museum was the Staffordshire Millennium Embroideries. These were special artworks that showed 1,000 years of Staffordshire's history. Each embroidery panel represented one century. They were made using silk, wool, cotton, shiny metallic thread, and leather.
A talented woman named Mrs. Sylvia Everitt created these amazing embroideries. She spent five years working on them as a gift to the people of Staffordshire. She wanted to celebrate the Millennium (the year 2000). Before donating them, she traveled around the county. She gave talks about her embroideries for several years. Now, they are permanently displayed in a special gallery. For her incredible work, Sylvia was given an award called the MBE in 2002.
Museum Facilities and Tours
The museum offered tours to the top of St Mary's spire. This spire was 158 years old. From a viewing platform 40 meters (about 130 feet) above the market square, visitors could see great views. They could look out over the city and the countryside around it. On the ground floor, there was a coffee shop and a gift shop. The museum used to be open seven days a week.
