Penrith and Eden Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1985 |
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| Location | Penrith, Cumbria |
| Collections | Local history, fine art |
| Owner | Eden District Council |
The Penrith and Eden Museum is a cool place to visit in Penrith, Cumbria, England. It's like a time capsule! The museum collects, keeps safe, and shows off amazing things from the history and culture of Penrith and the Eden area. The local council, Eden District Council, looks after it. You'll find the museum inside an old school building called Robinson's School, which first opened way back in 1670.
Contents
What You Can See: Awesome Exhibits!
The museum has many exciting things to explore. Imagine seeing a real dinosaur footprint! It's a fossil found in the sandstone of the Eden Valley.
You can also discover objects from the Stone Age and the Roman times. These include a huge collection of over 600 bronze Roman coins. They are about 1,700 years old! Roman jewelry found nearby is also on display.
- Look for the medieval seal of Penrith.
- See old tools used to measure things at the market.
- There's a special gold ring with the words Kepe Faith Till Death on it.
- Learn about local heroes like Trooper William Pearson and wrestler William Jameson.
- You can even see an elephant's tooth! It was dug up from the bottom of the moat at Penrith Castle.
Recently, the museum has added new treasures. These were found in the Eden area using metal detectors. They include a medal from King Charles I and a medieval coin collection. There's also a beautiful gold and amethyst ring. A tobacco jar from 1897, likely made at the nearby Wetheriggs Pottery, was also added in 2019.
Art and History: The Fine Art Collection
The museum also has a wonderful collection of art. You can see paintings from Dutch and Flemish artists. There are also British artworks.
- One famous painting is The Druids Cutting Down the Mistletoe. It was painted by Jacob Thompson, an artist from Penrith in the 1800s.
- The museum also shows modern art by artists from the Eden area. These include Phil Morsman, Alan Stones, Lorna Graves, David Boyd, and William S. Cowper.
In 2019, a painting called ‘A Corner of Old Time Penrith’ joined the collection. It was painted by William Jackson in 1909. This painting shows old shops on King Street and Market Square in Penrith. You can see a butcher's, a fishmonger's, and a watchmaker's shop!
More historical items were added in 2020. These were found by people using metal detectors. They include:
- A medieval silver finger ring from Kirkby Thore (about 800-900 years old).
- A medieval gold ring shaped like a stirrup, found near Waitby.
- A medieval silver 'teardrop' brooch.
These items were valued by experts at the British Museum. The people who found them shared a reward with the landowners.
Museum Standards: Accreditation and Awards
The Penrith and Eden Museum is an "accredited museum." This means it meets high standards set by the Arts Council. It's also part of the Cumbria Museums Consortium.
In the Spotlight: The Museum on TV
In July 2018, the Penrith and Eden Museum was featured on a BBC TV show called Antiques Road Trip. The show focused on William Jameson. He was a famous wrestler from Penrith in the 1800s. The museum has many cool things that belonged to him. These include his championship belts and trophies!
