The Museum in the Park is set to re-open tomorrow, Tuesday, with an exhibition which promises to fascinate visitors of all ages.
The new, free exhibition ‘Ice Age’ explores half a million years of ancient local history, including changing climate, rising sea levels, mass migration and extinction of species.
“More than 35,000 years ago the Stroud district was right on the edge of a gigantic sheet of ice, a completely different world to the one we know today.” said Alexia Clark, Documentation & Collections Officer at The Museum in the Park.
“Woolly mammoths and rhinoceros roamed the area, coming down to the Frome to drink. Deer and elk were frequent visitors, with wild horses, aurochs and boar a common sight for the occasional human visitor to the area. Whilst we have the remains of all of these animals in the collections, humans left almost no trace of their presence here in Stroud. Fortunately, the collections of local antiquarian Vernon Parry Kitchin will allow us to also present tools from the wider UK to demonstrate the lives of humans during the Ice Age.”
“I’m really proud of the service that our Museum in the Park offers to the whole district and beyond,” said Councillor Chris Brine, Chair of SDC’s Community Services and Licensing Committee. “As well as this fantastic exhibition, the museum is an invaluable resource which tells the story of our district so well.”
‘Ice Age’ is a touring exhibition from Museums Worcestershire, enhanced by rarely-seen artefacts from The Museum in the Park’s own collection. There will also be free online talks, family activities at weekends and during school holidays.
The Ice Age exhibition was originally part of Lost Landscapes; a joint project between Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service and Museums Worcestershire, with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The Museum in the Park exhibition will be accompanied by talks and special events made possible by a grant from Arts Council England.
“The Museum in the Park is an invaluable and engaging educational resource for all, and this special exhibition will create extra interest for new and regular visitors alike,” said Councillor Chris Brine, Chair of SDC’s Community Services and Licensing Committee.
The Museum in the Park is open Tuesday – Friday 10am to 4.30pm, and Saturday and Sunday 11am to 4.30pm. The exhibition is free to enter and there is no need to book, though donations are welcome. For further details and events, please visit www.museuminthepark.org.uk.
