News - Top prize goes to museum of county's mechanical history

A MUSEUM dedicated to showcasing the mechanical history of Nottingham landed the top prize at an awards ceremony.


The county's best historical museums were among the award winners at the Nottinghamshire Heritage Awards, at the Lakeside Arts Centre.

The top prize, for Heritage Site of the Year, went to the Nottingham Industrial Museum at Wollaton Park, with their collection including restored Raleigh bicycles and lace making machinery.


Councillor David Trimble, Nottingham City Council's portfolio holder for leisure, culture and tourism, said: "This is fantastic news and a great accolade for our 75 volunteers who have made it possible for the Industrial Museum site to re-open this year.

"The museum offers an insight into Nottingham's rich industrial heritage and the collections include transport, steam engines, agricultural machinery and technology from the city's past, plus some of the most important lace making machinery which put Nottingham on the textile map.

"We're delighted that over the past year we have been able to work with such a hugely enthusiastic group of volunteers who have committed thousands of hours to develop their skills and make improvements to the museum and revitalise the museum's collections."

Other winners on Wednesday included the Nottinghamshire Archives, which took the prize for Inspiration Award for Best Special Project and Outstanding Achievement Award.

Team manager Mark Dorrington said: "We are obviously very pleased with the awards – we don't just keep records here, we are keen to share the county's history with as many people as possible."

Other winners included the Mansfield Museum, the Bilsthorpe Heritage Society, and The Queen's Royal Lancers and Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Museum.



Doctor Kevin Gould, principal lecturer in late medieval and early modern history at Nottingham Trent University, was on the judging panel and paid tribute to the winners.



He said: "Choosing the winners from such a strong field has been an extremely difficult task."

From: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/prize-goes-museum-county-s-mechanical-history/story-16567764-detail/story.html

Article - Cuts begin to take effect in local authority Museums

Council budget setting leads to severe cuts for some museums. Despite a successful application for £3.8m of Renaissance major grant funding, Norfolk Museums and Archaeological Service (NMAS) is having to make £145,000 of savings this year and £161,000 in 2013-14 to meet cuts in its budget from Norfolk County Council.


NMAS has closed its Costume and Textile Study Centre at Carrow Hall and is relocating it to Shirehall, with the loss of two posts.

The council is reviewing the service, having rejected an option to move to trust status. A proposed merger with Ipswich and Colchester is also on the backburner.

Museums Sheffield, which was unsuccessful in its Renaissance funding bid, has announced details of 43 posts that will be made redundant at the end of September. Eleven are curatorial and exhibitions posts, with 21 in learning.

Also missing out on a Renaissance funding bid, Hampshire County Council Arts and Museums, Southampton City Council Arts and Heritage, and Winchester City Council Museums will make a decision on whether to merge as a charitable trust in early autumn.

As Museums Journal went to press, Derby City Council was about to vote on a proposal to transfer its museums to a charitable trust.

Also looking to move to trust status by this autumn, Nottingham Industrial Museum, closed by the council in 2009, reopened in March staffed by 60 volunteers. The museum is open at weekends and bank holidays, and has already had more than 1,000 visitors.

Science Alive, which is negotiating the takeover of the Museum of Harlow from Harlow District Council, aims to open the museum this month, staffed by its records officer and 20 volunteers.

The negotiations include a three-year funding agreement with the council, to give Science Alive time to develop new income streams.

Kirklees Council has agreed to keep the Red House Museum open, but will introduce an admission charge from 1 June. The council is also expected to make a decision on changes to opening hours at its other museums this month.

From: http://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/news/01052012-cuts-local-authority-museums

News - Nottingham Industrial Museum reopens after three years

The Nottingham Industrial Museum has reopened as a volunteer-run operation three years after it was closed by Nottingham City Council.

More than 90 volunteers have refurbished the Wollaton Park site, which includes steam engines and lace-making machinery.

The museum shut as part of a council restructure in 2009 but a government grant of £91,000 has helped it reopen.

The new centre will become self-sufficient by charging for admission.

The grant, from the Adult and Community Learning Fund, is being used to train volunteers on how to run the museum - from caring for the exhibits to marketing the attraction.

Rebecca Wilson, one of the volunteers, said: "This project is a great example of a community working together to show off its local heritage and we have great fun at the same time too.

"We've spent a lot of time getting things together - something like 5,000 hours have been put in by our volunteers so far. Now there's going to be people here."

From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-17414235

 

News - Nottingham Industrial Museum set to reopen

The Nottingham Industrial Museum is to reopen as a volunteer-run attraction after the city council received £91,000 in funding.

The museum closed in 2009 as the council restructured its services.

But now more than 90 volunteers are helping refurbish the Wollaton Park site before it reopens in March.

The centre will be self-sufficient through a small admission fee on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays, Nottingham City Council said.

'Fully accessible'

Nottingham Industrial Museum, housed in the park's stable block, will offer an insight into Nottingham's industrial heritage.

Exhibits will include steam engines and agricultural machinery as well as lace making machinery which helped to put Nottingham on the textile map, the council said.

An initial grant of £66,000 from the Adult and Community Learning Fund will be used to train volunteers on how to run the centre, from taking care of the collections to marketing the attraction.

Rebecca Wilson, one of the volunteers, said: "This project is a great example of a community working together to show off its local heritage and we have great fun at the same time too."

Councillor Dave Trimble, portfolio holder for leisure, culture and tourism, said: "The reopening will be a great achievement for the dedicated group of volunteers. 

"It's fantastic that we can revitalise the museum's collections and make them fully accessible again."

Volunteers are still being sought to help with the project. Anyone interested should contact Nottingham City Council's programmes coordinator on 0115 876 2187.

From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-16354436