Mansfield Museum facts for kids
The Mansfield Museum is a fun place to visit in Nottinghamshire, England. It's managed by the local council and is full of interesting things to see! The museum was first given to the town of Mansfield in 1903 by a wealthy collector and nature lover named William Edward Baily. He donated his huge collection and the building to keep it safe.
The museum officially opened its doors to the public in 1904, right where it is today on Leeming Street. Other important local people also helped grow the museum's collection. These included the nature expert Joseph Whitaker and the artist Albert Sorby Buxton. The original building, sometimes called the "Tin Tabernacle," was replaced by the current one in 1938. Later, in the 1960s, another display area was added. The arcade gallery, a special part of the museum, was opened by Sarah, Duchess of York in 1989.
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What You Can See at the Museum
The Mansfield Museum is known for being a great place for families. It focuses a lot on natural history, showing off amazing plants and animals.
Made in Mansfield: Local History
The museum has a special area called the "Made in Mansfield" exhibition. This part shows how Mansfield became famous for making things. You can see old items, photos, videos, and listen to stories about the town's main jobs from the past and present.
These industries include:
- Metal Box (making metal containers)
- Shoe Co (making shoes)
- Mansfield Brewery (making drinks)
- Barrs Soft Drinks (making fizzy drinks)
- Hosiery (making socks and tights)
- Precision engineering (making very exact parts)
- Mining (digging for coal)
- Foundries (shaping metal)
- Quarrying (digging for stone)
Art by Albert Sorby Buxton
The museum also has many beautiful watercolour paintings by a local artist named Albert Sorby Buxton. His pictures show buildings in Mansfield that no longer exist today. They also show views of the town that have changed a lot over time. It's like looking through a window into the past!
Amazing Ceramics
There's a whole section of the museum dedicated to special pottery. You can see the delicate ceramic works made by William Billingsley. There are also shiny lustreware pieces created by Rachel Manner.
