The Salisbury Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1860 |
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| Location | The King's House, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England |
| Type | History museum |
The Salisbury Museum is a cool place to visit in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. It used to be called The Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum. This museum has one of the best collections about Stonehenge and local archaeology. Archaeology is the study of human history through digging up old things.
The museum is inside a very old building called The King's House. This building is so important that it's a Grade I listed building. This means it's protected because of its special history and architecture. Even King James I of England visited here in 1610 and 1613! The King's House is right near Salisbury Cathedral. The museum moved to this spot in 1981. It was first started in 1860 by Dr Richard Fowler.
The King's House has three floors. It features special windows and fancy ceilings. There is also a beautiful oak staircase. You can see the royal symbol of James I's oldest son, Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, in a window upstairs. The museum's director is Adrian Green.
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Exciting Exhibitions at the Museum
The Salisbury Museum often has special exhibitions. These shows feature artists who have a connection to the local area.
Past Art Shows
- In 2011, there was an exhibition called 'Constable and Salisbury'. It celebrated 200 years since artist John Constable first visited Salisbury. The show had over forty of his original paintings and drawings. This included his famous 'Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows'.
- In 2012, the museum showed 'Circles And Tangents'. This exhibition featured artists linked to Cranborne Chase. Famous artists like Augustus John and Lucian Freud had their work displayed.
- From May to September 2013, the exhibition was 'Rex Whistler: A Talent Cut Short'.
- The summer exhibition in 2015 was 'Turner's Wessex: Architecture and Ambition'. It showed amazing watercolours by J. M. W. Turner. He made these when he was young and exploring the Salisbury area.
- In 2017, the summer exhibition was 'Ancient Landscapes'. It displayed works by artists like William Blake and Paul Nash. These artworks focused on Stonehenge and the nearby Salisbury Plain. There were also theatre shows in the museum gardens.
Amazing Objects You Can See
The museum has some truly unique and important objects.
The Lake House Meteorite
On September 10, 2012, a huge meteorite went on display at the museum. It weighs about 90 kilograms (almost 200 pounds)! This might be the biggest meteorite ever found in the British Isles. For about 80 years, it sat near the front door of Lake House in Wilsford-cum-Lake. When the house was sold, experts from the Natural History Museum confirmed it was a meteorite.
Scientists believe this meteorite landed on Earth about 30,000 years ago. It was kept safe by the freezing conditions of the last ice age. Later, in the Stone or Bronze Age, it might have been placed in a burial mound near Lake House. The chalky soil there also helped to preserve it.
Ancient Treasures: Prehistoric Hoards
In November 2011, the museum showed the Wardour Hoard. This was a collection of over 100 copper objects. They were more than 2,700 years old! These items were from the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age. A metal detectorist found them near Wardour. The hoard included tools like axe heads, chisels, and sickles. It also had weapons such as spearheads, daggers, and swords. This was the most important hoard found in Wiltshire since the Salisbury Hoard in the 1980s.
Around 2014, the museum also got the Wylye Hoard.
The New Wessex Gallery of Archaeology
In June 2012, the museum received a big grant to create a new gallery. This new space is called the Archaeology of Wessex gallery. It opened in the summer of 2014. This gallery is very important worldwide. It tells the story of Salisbury and the surrounding area. It covers history from prehistoric times up to the Norman Conquest. This shows why Salisbury has such a special place in history. The museum has some of Britain's most important archaeological finds. These include items from the Stonehenge World Heritage Site and the famous Amesbury Archer.
Other Cool Collections
The museum has many other interesting collections too.
Rex Whistler's Archive
In August 2013, the museum received a large grant to help save the personal collection of artist Rex Whistler. The Salisbury Museum then bought this collection. It has over 1,000 items. It is the only major collection of things related to this artist.
Art and Costume Collections
The museum has an art collection with over 4,000 paintings, prints, and drawings. These show local people, places, events, and everyday life. Many were created by local artists. There's also an amazing Costume Collection. It includes clothes from people in and around Salisbury from the last 250 years. You can see wedding dresses, uniforms, and even lace samples.
Ceramics and Cutlery
The museum also has a great collection of ceramics. These include local pottery and famous pieces from Wedgwood, Bow, and Chelsea. Plus, there's a collection showing the history of the Salisbury cutlery industry.
See also
