University’s award-winning museum moves into new home

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The University of Nottingham’s award-winning museum has moved into a purpose-built building.

The museum — named Nottinghamshire Heritage Museum of the Year in 2010 — is now conveniently based in the Rotunda at the Lakeside Arts Centre, near Lakeside Theatre, the revamped Djanogly Art Gallery and Gallery café, the boating lake and the children’s play area.

The museum contains artefacts dating back 250, 000 years to the Palaeolithic period. The majority of objects are from the East Midlands and show everyday life in the region over this long period of time. It is open to the public and along with displays of local archaeological material contains objects from Italy, Egypt and Cyprus. The exhibits include Palaeolithic hand axes, Bronze Age swords, Roman glass, Saxon jewellery and medieval tiles.

The Museum was opened in 1933 to house a major collection of artefacts donated to the University from a large excavation on the site of the Roman settlement, Margidunum, on the Fosse Way at Bingham in Nottinghamshire. The finds from the excavation include pottery, foodstuffs, bone gaming counters, surgical instruments and jewellery.

Museum Keeper Clare Pickersgill said: “I am so happy that we have moved to a new home as it allows us to be easily accessible to everyone, especially as the museum is now open seven days a week.

“The move is the first stage of the new museum development. We’re planning a new permanent exhibition that will include collections from around the region not currently on display as well as bringing in objects from the British Museum.”

The museum runs an extensive education and community programme with schools, colleges and community groups and plays a major part in a number of national initiatives, including the successful and popular BBC Hands on Prehistory Day and the Festival of British Archaeology.

A mobile exhibition: In Search of Margidunum — a museum in a trunk — has been created. It is based on artefacts found at the Roman settlement of Margidunum, which was centred on what is now the A46 roundabout near Bingham. It is taken into local schools and community groups by University students, allowing pupils to explore how ordinary Romans lived their lives — from the clothes and hairstyles they wore to the coins they used to do their shopping.

The University of Nottingham Museum is based at University Park, via South entrance off University Boulevard. It is open to the public from 11am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday and noon till 4pm, Sunday. Admission is free. Visit www.nottingham.ac.uk/museum.