Straw Bear 2015

A good day was had by all at the 2015 Straw Bear Festival in Whittlesey this weekend.

Whittlesey Museum had a large number of visitors, helped by the free Photographic Society exhibition in the upstairs room of the Old Town Hall - many people who entered the building looking for one attraction ended up visiting both, a success all round!

New images of the Straw Bear and dancers taken on the day, (as well as at the Burning of the Bear on Sunday) will feature in updates to the Straw Bear display within the museum.

Bears, Eagles and a new Exhibition, oh my!

Bored of the Christmas season already? Take some time out from shopping and wrapping to visit the Fens Museum Partnership touring exhibition "Wild Fens" as it visits Whittlesey Museum in December, January and February.

Wild Fens explores the different animals and birds which have lived locally as the fenland ecosystem has changed through time. Put your hands in holes in the replica 'riverbank' to uncover the creatures lurking within or listen to an interactive soundscape of the past (watch out for the wolves!).

Owl Day promises to be a Hoot!

Save the date for Whittlesey Museum Owl Day this half term!

In association with the Fens Museum Partnership, we will be celebrating the unique biodiversity of fenland past and present with a family fun day including a visit from some real live owls.

This will also be a good opportunity to have a look around our newly redisplayed Forge area, if you have not already managed to...

Accreditation Return Submitted

This stack of papers contains some of the policies and plans which Whittlesey Museum has to have in place in order to be awarded the continuing title of an Arts Council Accredited Museum.

Whittlesey Museum was an early subscriber to the original "Registered Museum" scheme for ensuring consistent high standards across the country's museums and has been an Accredited Museum since shortly after that successor system was created - adding up to well over twenty years of official oversight.

Accredited Museum status means that the museum subscribes to a particular set of professional ethics - in particular around the acquisition and disposal of objects - and has a committment to good practice in organisational health, collections care and visitor experience.

The latest renewal of the Museum Accreditation is due for submission in October in time for review during Summer 2015 - museum staff and volunteers have been working hard this month to get everything ready to send off!

Whittlesey Remembers

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the first local man to die as a result of World War One - Arthur C. Rawson of Whittlesey. Arthur was accidentally killed by his gun on 9th August 1914, age 25. He is buried in Whittlesey Cemetery.

To commemorate the world-changing events of World War One, Whittlesey Museum has set up a Twitter feed using Roll of Honour and war memorial details which will tweet a personal "Lest We Forget" message for every local soldier killed during the conflict on the 100th anniversary of the day that he died.
This can be followed at https://twitter.com/WhittleseyWW1

Room 1 of the museum has also been dedicated to a display of photographs and items relating to World War One, in particular excerpts from letters sent home from the Front by local men and the letters which their loved ones wrote to them in return, now part of the museum collection.

Circuit of the Fens Cycle Day

The Buttercross in Whittlesey, transformed for the day.

An exciting day was had at the Museum this Sunday as the Circuit of the Fens cycle event went right past the door as part of the inter-village route.

 Interest was at a high following the 101st Tour de France' visit to Cambridge a few weeks ago and the town centre was busy with stalls, racers, supporters and live music.

Vote For Whittlesey Museum!

HELP WHITTLESEY MUSEUM - VOTE FOR US!

Whittlesey Museum has been selected as a deserving local charity to be included in a contest being run by the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society.

For two weeks starting on Friday 6th June, the public are invited to go to the Whittlesey branch of the Norwich and Peterborough and cast their vote for which of three charities they would like to see win the top prize of £500. Each person may cast one vote per day, so please remember to pop in if you are in town and walking past the Building Society- £500 would make a big difference to the museum.