Corinium Museum in Cirencester - One of the "must see" visitor attractions of the Cotswolds
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Special emphasis is placed on the town’s Roman heritage, reflecting Cirencester’s importance as the second biggest Roman town, Corinium, outside London. The Roman collection is now spread over two floors and includes marvellous mosaics, tombstones and sculpture as well as room and shop reconstructions and objects from everyday Roman life. A dramatic new Anglo-Saxon gallery has been created to house the finds – including rare gold pendants - from the cemetery uncovered at Butler’s Field, Lechlade, in 1985. Here, visitors will come face to face with their ancestors in the shape of a forensically-reconstructed Anglo-Saxon man and child who were among the 219 bodies. The centrepiece of this new gallery is the reconstruction of the grave of ‘Mrs Getty’, the 6th Century Anglo-Saxon princess so nicknamed because of the 500 treasures buried with her. Facial anthropologist Dr Caroline Wilkinson, the expert behind BBC2’s Meet The Ancestors, has painstakingly reconstructed Mrs Getty’s head from clues yielded by her skull. Now, complete with body, clothes and hair, Mrs Getty appears laid out in her coffin with replicas of her ‘grave goods’. The originals – around 1,500 years old – will be on display in a secure case nearby. The revamped
medieval gallery focuses on the impact that the wool trade had
on the town of Cirencester and its Abbey – the second
largest Augustinian foundation in the country. Although almost
completely destroyed during the dissolution of the monasteries,
it has left a wealth of sculpture and architectural carvings. Cotswold District Council’s Head of Museum Services John Paddock said: ”We are extremely proud of the new-look museum which has been two years and £5 million in the making. It’s a unique attraction that we hope will be a source of enjoyment and inspiration for everyone who visits. We are very grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund and all the private donors who helped the Council to make this happen.” The Council’s Portfolio holder for IT & Culture, Councillor John Burgess, said: ”The expansion and refurbishment of the museum has been well worth the wait and tremendous effort. For the first time, it is accessible to everyone. I’m amazed by the change to the building and delighted that we have been able to treble the number of objects on show. The museum has always been the major tourist attraction in Cirencester with up to 60,000 visitors each year. I’m sure the transformation will help to make these figures even higher.” Nerys Watts, South West Regional Manager for the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) said: “We are delighted to support this project because it has saved the fascinating Corinium Museum collections for future generations to enjoy. This important resource holds many keys to Cirencester's proud identity and will be made available for the widest possible audience to discover. 'The Museum is part of the Council's excellent provision for the preservation and celebration of Cirencester's heritage, which also includes the specially-built store at Northleach, where the reserve collections are cared for.” Admission Charges Adults £3.95 Opening
hours are Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, Sunday 2pm and 5pm School Visits to the Corinium MuseumThe Corinium Museum has wonderful collections and new displays relating to life in Roman Britain, Anglo-Saxons in the Cotswolds and Medieval Cirencester. It is unsurpassed as a resource for schools studying local history, the Romans, Anglo-Saxons or the Medieval past. The museum has a number of reconstructions including a Roman soldier's barrack room, a Roman kitchen, and a Roman dining room. There are a number of hands-on activities including state of the art computer interactives. The galleries also offer opportunities for self-study using worksheets. In addition, pupils can follow the trail of Dannicus the Dog around the museum. Why not enhance your school visit with one of our active-learning sessions? There are several to choose from, ranging from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 3. These "hands-on" workshops offer pupils the chance to experience what life was like in the past. For further information please contact the Education Officer, Amanda Hart on 01285 655611 The Corinium Museum is to be found in Park Street, Cirencester. Corinium Museum Commercial Hire
Corinium Museum Events A Host Of Holiday Fun At Corinium Museum From storytelling to life in Roman Corinium workshops, there is something for all the family at the Corinium Museum, Cirencester over the Easter school holidays. The Park Street museum will host several family drop-in sessions during the holiday break, including attempts to recreate crafts and characters from both the Victorian and Medieval eras, as well as workshops were children can explore household items and their uses through history. A ‘Victorian Quilling’ pictures session will take place on Wednesday April 9th, where children and visitors can re-create the popular 19th Century craft activity and make their own pictures with rolled-up paper. This event runs from 1pm-3pm and the price is included in the Museum’s cost of admission, or £1 for the activity only. Children will also be able to make their own Medieval figure with the ‘Make a Jousting Knight’ (1pm-3pm) event on April 16th, where pieces of card and paper are folded and fashioned into your very own Medieval knight complete with jousting tent. Booking for this event is essential and is included in the Museum’s normal admission price, or £1 for the activity only. Places are available on the children’s workshops, with youngsters sure to take an interest in ‘Toilets through Time’ on April 10th, where they will hear about the range and quality of different types of toilet used through history. The children will also work together to make large model toilets. Or why not book for the workshop on April 17th on Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. These sessions run from 10.30am-12pm, are suitable for children aged 7–11 and cost £4 per child (£2 per child for season ticket holders/Friends of Corinium Museum). The family workshops, which run from 2.30pm-4pm, are Life in Roman Corinium on April 8th and ‘Cracking the Code’ on April 10th which both provide fun and learning for all the family. These workshops are included in the cost of admission but pre-booking is required and children must be accompanied by an adult. Or why not come to the Corinium Museum on April 17th at 2pm to listen to the Storysmith with his ‘Tales from the Court of King Arthur’. Find out about Sir Gawain, the bearded lady and the Green Knight. Tickets are on sale now and cost £4.50 for adults and £3.50 for children. The museum will also hold Archaeology seminars for 9-12 year olds. These are a great introduction for children about how archaeologists build a picture of the past using site reports and objects from the collection. This is a new activity developed by museum staff to encourage children to discover new things about their past. Contact the museum for further details. Events tailored for adults include the Rural Cinema scheme visiting the Corinium Museum for showings of the romantic Julie Christie film ‘Away from her’ on March 30th (2.15pm) and ‘La Vie en Rose’, a biopic of the French singer Edith Piaf, which will be shown on April 27th. There are also places left on the evening lecture series – Paul Nichols of Gloucestershire Archaeology will be talking about the Iron Age Discoveries at Bourton on the Water on Thursday 27th March (7pm). For more information and to book a place on any of the above event, please contact the Corinium Museum on 01285 655611, email museums@cotswold.go.uk or visit our website at www.cotswold.gov.uk/go/museum Gold Hoard Comes Home To The Cotswolds A hoard of valuable Bronze Age gold is in the Cotswolds for good after a 3,000 year old collection went on show at the Corinium Museum in September. The stash had been staying at the British Museum, but will now have a permanent home in Cirencester after the Cotswold District Council-owned museum raised the necessary £20,000 to hang onto the hoard. The Going for Gold appeal, which was launched in October 2006, was funded by generous public donations of £3,000, and appeal organisers hit the £20,000 total they needed with grant help from the MLA/V&A Purchase Fund, the Headley Trust and the National Art Fund. The gold was assessed and recorded as treasure at the British Museum, and has spent time in Lincoln for vital conservation work. The gold – the only collection in the area which is actually from the Cotswolds - was first found by a metal detector enthusiast in Poulton in 2004. The complete hoard was finally unearthed by December 2005. The find – a total of 67 gold and bronze artifacts - includes a selection of Bronze Age rings, bracelets, an axehead and gold fragments. It is believed to date from between 1300-1100 BC. Dr Alison Brookes, the Corinium Museum’s Collections Management Officer, said: “It is a very positive addition to our collection.” The hoard is now on permanent display in the Prehistory Gallery of the Museum. In October, Curator Dr John Paddock and Dr Alison Brookes presented a public lecture to give visitors the opportunity to see the material and learn more about the Bronze Age Cotswolds. The Museum is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm and from 2pm-5pm on Sundays. Corinium Museum Visitor Comments"Just
to say, we visited the Corinium Museum yesterday, and were terrifically
impressed by it - the layout, the information offered - how
the local finds were displayed and related to finds elsewhere
in the UK and abroad - it was all really impressive and stimulating.
Thankyou" Corinium Museum - Article ArchiveROMANS HELP MUSEUM CELEBRATE SUCCESS ON FIRST ANNIVERSARYThe Corinium Museum is to celebrate the first anniversary of its re-opening with a return visit by the popular Ermine Street Guard. The armour-clad Roman living history group will be at the Cotswold District Council-owned museum in Cirencester on Saturday, September 17, to entertain and educate visitors of all ages. The museum, which was closed to the public for two years to undergo a £5m transformation, has seen visitor numbers soar by 20 per cent since it unveiled its new look on September 15 last year. Curator John Paddock said: “The public response has been amazing, there’s been a huge wave of enthusiasm for the Corinium Museum since its expansion. People who’d seen the old museum are surprised by just how different and innovative it is, while new visitors are often on their first trip to the town, especially to see our collections.” Visitor questionnaires revealed that 99 per cent of people thought the Museum was good, very good, or excellent. Respondents from Bognor to Brisbane had come to see the spacious Roman galleries and renowned mosaics, as well as the all-new Anglo-Saxon gallery with finds from Butler’s Field, Lechlade. Sixty-four per cent of visitors had come to Cirencester specifically to see the Corinium Museum. Eleven per cent of all visitors had come from overseas, 12 per cent from within the Cotswold District and 77 per cent from the rest of the UK. Return visits are up by 300 per cent on the last full trading year and sales of museum cards, which offer local residents a discount, have trebled. John added: “Word of mouth is helping to spread the Museum’s popularity and, in turn, is bringing more tourists and day-trippers in the town. “The Ermine Street Guard’s visit promises, as always to be absorbing, entertaining and educational. It’s a great opportunity for anyone interested in Roman history to find out more. “Our wonderful collections belong to the people of the District and I would urge local people who haven’t yet visited to come along and see what’s on their doorstep.” Normal museum admission
charges apply on Saturday 17th: Admission is £3.50 for
adults, £2.50 for senior citizens, £2 for children/students.
A family ticket is £8 and annual season ticket £7.50. Previous events at the Corinium Museum 31/8/2005 - New Exhibition Makes A Clean Sweep At The Corinium Museum 8/8/2005 - New Objects On Display as Corinium Museum, Cirencester Is Shortlisted for Top Award National Archaeology Roadshow at Corinium Museum A special "after hours" event at the Corinium Museum was held at the beginning of June 2005. Click here for more details. Half-Term Fun At The Corinium Museum - Find out about events that were arranged for a recent half term break
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Visitors
can trace the story of the Cotswolds from Prehistory to the
late 19th Century, with hands-on exhibits, interactive displays
and a wealth of precious artefacts. There are animated and practical
games, and audio-visual screens to bring the past to life for
everyone from schoolchildren to grandparents.