Museums and Galleries in Nottingham

Nottingham is lively city, full of music and entertainment,produces award-winning organic flour. Visitors to
as well as history and culture. For those looking for aGreen's Windmill and Science Centre, founded 1985,
day of art or history appreciation, and the quietcan observe the workings of the mill and learn about
restoration that it can bring, the city has a variety ofthe history and current production of flour. There is
museums and art galleries.also a hands-on Science Centre which explores some
The free Angel Row Gallery at the Central Libraryof the concepts Green studied during his lifetime. There
showcases contemporary works by living artists. Mostare interactive displays on electricity, light and
shows are experimental and thought-provoking inmagnetism which are geared towards children.
nature, and usually include some interactive exhibits forThe Natural History Museum was founded in 1867 and
children and families alongside the more contemplativeshowcases the collections of local and international
displays. There are also a number of workshops,naturalists. It was moved into its own buildings at
lectures, and courses available through the gallery.University College (now the University of Nottingham) in
The first municipal art gallery in the United Kingdom1881, was closed during the war, then relocated to the
was the Midland Counties Museum of Art, founded inlargely unsuitable Wollaton Hall in 1926. It holds over
1872. In 1878 moved into Nottingham Castle, finallythree quarters of a million specimens of fossils,
refurbished by noted local architect Thomasminerals, insects, plants, and vertebrate and
Chambers Hine after it was burned and gutted byinvertebrate animals. The Nottingham Biological and
rioters angry at the Duke of Newcastle in 1831. TheGeological Records Centre is also housed at the
gallery, with its name changed to "Nottingham Artmuseum.
Museum" and then to "Museum and Art Gallery,Newstead Abbey was the home of the Byron family.
Nottingham Castle" grew quickly through publicThe estate and its Byron Museum were donated to
donations, and now hoses a world class collection ofthe city of Nottingham by Sir Julien Cahn in 1931. It has
archaeological items and antiquities, an ethnographicalinformation and memorabilia about the famous poet
collection, ceramics, paintings, prints, and drawings, silver,Lord Byron, the related families Byron, Wildman and
armour, and Venetian glass. It has many children'sWebb, and archival and archaeological information
exhibitions, and frequent tours through the numerousabout Newstead Priory and the Newstead Estate.
manmade caves, tunnels, dungeons and wine cellarsA Canal Museum was opened in 1981, but closed and
delved deep under the castle's sandstone foundations.transferred its collections to the National Boat Museum
The Castle Museum is now associated with thein 1998.
Nottingham School of Art.The 500-acre Wollaton Park and the impressive Tudor
There are also numerous private art galleries and artmansion Wollaton Hall (built by Robert Smythson in the
dealers throughout Nottingham, especially in the Lace1500s, and once owned by the Willoughby family)
Market district. The Lakeside Arts Centre provideswere purchased by the city in 1925. The estate was
visual art in addition to music, dance and theatre.briefly taken over by the military during World War II,
The Museum of Nottingham Life at Brewhouse Yardand the museum collections housed there were
is a fascinating collection of information abouttemporarily forced to move. A classic Doric Temple
everyday life in the city over the last three hundredstands in the deer park, and the Grade 1 Listed
years. The Brewhouse Yard was once a tiny villageCamellia house is also part of the complex. The estate
of twenty houses, including the renowned "Trip tohas been undergoing thorough restoration throughout
Jerusalem" pub which dates back to the 11th century,2006, with some portions closed to the public.
and several underground dwellings carved into theWollaton Park was later used to house the Industrial
sandstone bluff, which were used as air raid sheltersMuseum which preserved the important history of the
during World War II. Since 1977, five of the 17th centurymanufacturing and processing of textiles, lace, wool,
cottages from the village have been refurbished tobicycles, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, steam
hold the historical collection of the Museum. Eachengines, agricultural machinery and other manufacturing
cottage holds a reconstruction of Edwardian andin the area. It also has a fine transport collection, with
Victorian households or shop settings from days goneBaskerville coaches and other historical items.
by, as well as displays of antique photographs,The similar Museum of Costume and Textiles was
paintings, machinery and more.opened in Castlegate in 1976, but closed to the public in
Mathematical physicist George Green built a windmill in2003, although the collections are still viewable by
the 19th century, and it is still a working mill whichappointment.