Museum of Cider facts for kids
The Museum of Cider in Hereford, England, is a special place that tells the amazing story of cider. Cider is a popular drink made from apples. This museum was created in the 1970s by people who wanted to save the history of how cider is made. They knew that if they didn't start collecting things, many important stories and tools would be lost forever.
The museum is located in an old cider-making factory. This factory was built in 1888 and was once the home of Bulmer's Cider. Henry Percival Bulmer started making cider here in 1887. He was joined by his brother Fred. They bought the land to build a small place to make and store cider. Later, they dug out large cellars and made the building bigger. A grand new front was added in the 1920s.
The museum is run by the Hereford Cider Museum Trust. This is a registered charity. It means they rely on visitors and donations to keep the museum open.
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How the Museum Started
In the 1970s, the Trust began to research cider history. They started collecting old documents, photos, and tools. They also talked to people who remembered making cider. They even looked at all the old cider mills in Herefordshire.
Finding a Home for the Museum
At first, they had a small "pop-up" museum in a shop in Hereford. This showed off the items they had collected. Finally, in 1978, they agreed to rent the old Bulmer offices. The Hereford Cider Museum Trust later bought the building. After a lot of work to fix it up, the museum opened in 1981. It showed the history of cider making from all over the world.
Building the Entrance
The part of the building that visitors see first is actually the back of the original factory. To make a better entrance, the Beam Press Gallery was added in the 1980s. This new part was built using bricks and wood from an old cider factory called Godwins. You can see presses from that factory in the museum's cellars.
What the Museum Shows
The museum was designed to take visitors on a journey. It starts with the apple orchard. Then, it shows how cider was made in a farmhouse. Finally, it covers the history and science of cider making from the 1500s onwards. You can see how cider making changed from a small home activity to a big industry. The old company Boardroom and the Champagne Cider Cellars show this change.
The Museum of Cider is an independent charity. It is not part of the Bulmer company. It earns money from tickets, events, its shop, and tearoom. It also gets grants and rents out meeting rooms. The museum even welcomes retired Bulmer's workers for coffee mornings.
Special Collections
In 2003, a very important collection came to the museum. This happened when Bulmer's company was taken over. The museum received a rare collection of 18th-century cider glasses. These glasses are from the 1700s.
For a while, the museum had a special license. It was the first place in Britain in 200 years to be allowed to make cider brandy. This production stopped in 2012. However, it inspired another person in Somerset to get a similar license.
What You Can See and Do
The museum collects all kinds of things about cider. This includes modern advertising and books from the 1600s. Sometimes, on special "Heritage Open Days," visitors can see the storage areas. Researchers can also book time to look at the old documents.
Museum Tour Highlights
When you tour the museum, you learn about the history of cider making. Some of the amazing things you can see include:
- A 300-year-old French Beam Press. This is a huge machine used to press apples.
- A rare collection of English lead crystal cider glasses from 1730.
- Beautiful paintings of different types of apples and pears.
You can walk through the original cider cellars. Here, you can see how "champagne-cider" was made. You can also visit a cooper's workshop, where barrels were made. There's also a vat house and a bottling line. After your tour, you can try cider and other products in the gift shop.
Events at the Museum
The museum holds many events throughout the year. These include talks and art exhibitions. They also have two big events:
- The International Cider and Perry Competition: This competition has been running since the early 1980s. It is very respected by cider makers. In 2018, there were 210 entries.
- The Cidermaking Festival: This festival celebrates how cider is made.
