If your New Year resolution is to get out and about a bit more, explore a little culture, then maybe you’d like to take a peek at one of the UK’s more unusual museums.
In 1714 a bequest from Sir Robert Geffrye was used to build alms houses in Hackney, east London, which were occupied for the next 200 years. In 1912, the houses and gardens were bought by the London County Council and converted into a museum that was opened to the public in 1914. The Geffrye Museum started life as a furniture museum but in the 1930s was restyled into rooms and gardens depicting the changes in family life from the 1600s to the present day. The museum has been undergoing refurbishment and will reopen this summer.
The Dog Collar Museum at Leeds Castle in Kent showcases the largest collection of dog collars in the world. The collection goes back to the late 1400s and includes over 130 collars ranging from spiked iron examples to ward off bears, to finely engraved decorative silver collars.
The Cartoon Museum in London houses over 8,000 books and comics and displays selections from its collection of over 6,000 original artworks. It has a strong educational programme and each year hosts the Cartoon Art Trust Awards.
Traditional cuckoo clocks are made in the Black Forest region of Germany. The first was made in about 1730. The Cuckooland Museum in Cheshire seeks to bring together a world class collection of cuckoo clocks and currently houses over 600, with the oldest dating back to around 1850.
Museums and their collections are close to our heart as our specialist Heritage Storage Scheme goes from strength to strength. We understand that collections need to be moved in and out of display, travel off on loan or be archived quietly for a while. Our hardened aircraft shelters are unique in being able to offer high security, NCS-monitored facilities. If you’d like to find out more just call Michael Watts on 03300 060 9158, visit our website, or follow us on social media.