Museum of Cambridge seeks support to care for 40,000 items
The Museum of Cambridge’s latest annual appeal, ‘Saving Our Stories’, aims to raise significant funds to help it look after its large collection of objects.
The Castle Street museum cares for more than 40,000 objects unique to Cambridgeshire. The collection also comprises several thousand objects relating to the history of the city of Cambridge. These include historic pub signs painted by Richard Hopkins Leach, a bench belonging to the late Professor Stephen Hawking, and several watercolour paintings by artist Mary Greene.
The latest appeal will also help fund the purchase of new equipment and technology, support for a team of collections care staff and volunteers, and investment in the conservation of key museum objects.
Annie Davis, development manager, said: “Behind every single object in our museum is a whole host of fascinating stories; the story of the person who made it, the person who used it – or even the person who found it in a basement and gave it to the museum.
“We are proud custodians of the 40,000 objects in our collection. Yet collections care and conservation is a complex and costly business, requiring specialist equipment, training, extensive staff and volunteer time, and substantial storage space.
“Our 400-year-old building must be kept in excellent condition in order to protect its contents. Looking after our objects properly means maintaining stable temperatures and humidity. Turning off the heating to cut down on utility bills isn’t an option for us, so rising energy bills pose a real risk to the museum.
“So today, we’re asking you for your help. Please help us keep our collections safe so that the unique stories each object tells can be handed down to future generations.”
[Read more: The hidden gems in Cambridge’s famous museums]
Donations to the appeal can be made via the website (museumofcambridge.org.uk), by sending a cheque by post to Museum of Cambridge, 2/3 Castle Street, CB3 0AQ, or by using the ‘tap to donate’ device at the museum.
