Museum of Lancashire facts for kids
The old Sessions House
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| Location | Stanley Street, Preston, England |
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| Type | Museum |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name: The old Sessions House | |
| Designated: | 27 September 1979 |
| Reference #: | 1219103 |
The Museum of Lancashire is a cool place in Preston, England. It's a museum where you can learn all about the history of Lancashire. The museum is inside a really old building called the Sessions House. This building is so important that it's listed as a Grade II historic site!
Contents
History of the Museum Building
The building where the museum is located was originally a courthouse. Work on this courthouse began in 1825. It was designed by an architect named Thomas Rickman.
He created it in the Neo-Classical style. This means it looked like ancient Greek and Roman buildings. It had big columns and a balanced design.
The building was finished around 1829. Later, in 1849, a new dome was added to the top. However, this dome became unsafe and was replaced with a ceiling light in 1870.
What You Can See at the Museum
The Museum of Lancashire has many interesting collections. They show different parts of Lancashire's history and culture.
Lancashire Through Time
This part of the museum shows you what Lancashire was like a long time ago. You can see old tools and items from history.
Lancashire at Work
Here, you can learn about the jobs and industries that were important in Lancashire. It shows how people used to work.
Lancashire at Play
This collection is about fun and entertainment! It includes costumes from famous people like Hylda Baker. You can also see things related to entertainers like Les Dawson, George Formby, and Gracie Fields.
Lancashire Goes to War
This section helps you understand what life was like during wartime. It even has a special display that looks like a First World War trench. You can also learn about the 14th/20th King's Hussars, a famous army group.
Lancashire Law and Order
Since the museum is in an old courthouse, this section tells you about the history of law and order in Lancashire. You can see items related to court cases and how justice was handled.
Museum Closure and Future
In 2015, the local council decided to stop funding five of its museums, including the Museum of Lancashire. This was because they faced big money problems.
The museum officially closed its doors to the public on September 30, 2016. However, it still stayed open for school groups who booked visits in advance.
Since then, there have been talks about finding a new group to run the museum. In 2019, the council approved money to help maintain the building. They hope to reopen the Museum of Lancashire to everyone in the future.
See also
- Listed buildings in Preston, Lancashire
