New exhibition opens at Museum

The Powysland Museum has launched its new exhibition and curator Eva Bredsdorff opens its doors to mywelshpool readers to tell us what it’s all about:

 

“When it comes to the acquisition of artefacts, museums rely on people and organisations to donate items to their collections. Powysland Museum is no exception and our large and varied collection is down to the generosity of people, who have given objects, photographs and ephemera to the museum since it was first opened in 1874.

 

However, sometimes a museum is interested in an object, which can only be acquired through purchase - for instance a treasure throve or an item at auction - often because the object in question fits a gap in the collection or is of special local interest.

 

Unfortunately most museums’ budgets do not allow for such purchases and instead museum curators need to seek outside funding. In the case of Powysland Museum objects have been bought with the help of The MLA/V&A Purchase Fund, The Headley Trust and The V&A Prism Trust. These are organisations to which all museums can apply.

 

However, Powysland Museum is in the most fortunate situation that it annually receives a grant from The R.U.Sayce Bequest. This trust fund was set up in memory of the Honorary Curator of that name for the museum and the trustees of the bequest are Welshpool Town Council. Over the years the bequest has enabled the museum to purchase a large number of artefacts which it would not have been able to do otherwise.

 

Most of the purchased artefacts are on permanent display in the museum or form part of the handling collection used by the education & access officers, but due to limited space some items have to be stored. Many of these artefacts have been taken out of storage and are on display in this temporary exhibition to give visitors an opportunity to see them and to see how they are indeed the ideal presents for the museum.”

 

The exhibition will run until April 9.

Weekdays (except Wednesday): 11am-1pm and 2-5pm; Saturdays: 11am – 2pm

For further details please contact Eva on 01938 554656 or e-mail powysland@powys.gov.uk