Never seen before items on show at Derby Museum's new galleries
Visitors can see some of the most exciting objects in Derby Museums’ collection including many objects never displayed before. Some highlights include Bronze Age finds recovered from River Trent and Ice Age material from Creswell Crags.
Historical items will be on display for the first time at Derby Museum this weekend.
The city museum on The Strand will open its newest gallery ‘Unearthed’ on Saturday, February 28.
It marks a ‘major redisplay of archaeology and natural history collections’ being hailed as a ‘significant refresh’ of some of the most popular spaces within the museum - some of which had not been overhauled in over 30 years.
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The redisplay has been made possible thanks to a grant of £249,795 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
‘Unearthed’ combines objects from the museums’ archaeology and natural sciences collections which together span millions of years of history.
Previously displayed in two separate galleries, the two collections explore the story of life in Derbyshire – how people have adapted to make this place their home, and how they have shaped the natural world to meet their needs.
Visitors can see some of the most exciting objects in Derby Museums’ collection, including many objects never displayed before.
Some highlights include Bronze Age finds recovered from the wetlands of the River Trent, Ice Age material from Creswell Crags, finds from Roman Derby and internationally significant Viking material from Repton.
The redisplay also sees the return of visitor favourite specimens from the ‘Notice Nature, Feel Joy’ Gallery, alongside newly featured animals.
Many were chosen in collaboration with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to represent current wildlife concerns and local nature recovery programmes, encouraging everyone to work towards a more nature-rich future. Specimens such as hedgehogs, a peregrine falcon and black grouse tell stories of conservation, whilst a beaver skull speaks to current reintroduction projects in Derbyshire.
The new galleries are expected to welcome over 85,000 visitors annually, including thousands of schoolchildren.
Sadie Scott, Project Manager for the Unearthed galleries, said: “The galleries were long overdue an update, with Archaeology having last been redeveloped in the late 80s, and the Nature Gallery last refurbished over 10 years ago.”
In collaboration with various partners, the Workshop Team at the Museum of Making have produced a series of interactive activities to enable visitors to get hands on with the displays.
Visitors can touch a replica Bronze Age spearhead, examine enlarged bronze casts of ancient coins, and feel a replica mammoth tooth.
For the first time, people can immerse themselves in a sit-in section of the Bronze Age log boat, and perhaps imagine themselves paddling down the River Trent as the boat’s passengers may have done many years ago.
Gillian Patrick, Derby Museums’ Workshop and Studio Manager, said: “The items we have reproduced help make our history more immediate and real. It is really special, and quite unique, to have the facilities to recreate these physical objects from the past, make them tangible and put them into the hands of our visitors.
‘Unearthed’ opens on Saturday February 28 at Derby Museum and Art Gallery and is part of the permanent displays of Derby Museums. Entry to the museum is Free – Give What You Think, with visitors asked to donate if they are able.