Royal Engineers Museum facts for kids
The Royal Engineers Museum
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| Established | 1987 |
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| Location | Gillingham, Kent |
| Type | Military Museum |
The Royal Engineers Museum, Library and Archive is a cool place in Gillingham, Kent. It's a museum and library that tells the amazing story of the Royal Engineers. These are special soldiers who use their engineering skills to help the British army. They build things, clear paths, and solve tricky problems in military situations.
History of the Museum Building
The museum is located in a building called the 'Ravelin Building'. It was designed by a Royal Engineer named Major E.C.S. Moore. The building was finished in 1905 and cost about £40,000.
At first, this building was a school for electrical engineers. Later, in 1987, it became the home of the museum. The building is very important, so it was given a special status called 'Grade II listed' in 1996. This means it's protected because of its history and design.
In 1998, the museum's collection was given 'Designated' status. This means its collection is super important, not just for the UK, but for the whole world! Only a few military museums in the country have this special recognition.
Amazing Collections to Explore
The museum and library have over 500,000 items! These objects show the history of the Royal Engineers. They also show how military engineering has changed over time.
You can see many interesting things here:
- A large collection of paintings.
- Lots of medals, including 48 Victoria Crosses. These are the highest awards for bravery in the British military.
- A German V-2 rocket from World War II. This was a very advanced rocket for its time.
- The actual map used by the Duke of Wellington during the famous Battle of Waterloo.
- A finial (a decorative top part) from the Mahdi's tomb.
- Weapons used by Lieutenant John Chard during the Anglo-Zulu War.
- A collection of tanks designed to build bridges.
- A Brennan torpedo, an early type of torpedo.
- Even a Harrier Jump Jet, a famous aircraft that can take off and land vertically!
This museum is a fantastic place to learn about military history and the incredible work of engineers in the army.
