The history books describe the laying of the cornerstone for Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery as a grand affair filled with ‘pride and pomp.’
It was only fitting then that its 150th birthday celebrations should follow suit!
And so, the Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen, Councillor Brian Taylor, joined with dignitaries, staff, volunteers, Friends of the Museum, and partners, on Tuesday afternoon for an afternoon tea celebration to mark the special occasion.
The event also saw the official unveiling of the recently renovated Hart Gallery – part of extensive works at the museum completed ahead of its impressive milestone.
Fittingly, the museum’s oldest and longest-serving volunteer, Richard Croasdale was invited to cut the cake with the Mayor.
Chief Executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council, Denise Park, also spoke about the success of the ‘civic gem’ over the decades.
She told the guests:
Blackburn Museum was at the forefront of innovation and excellence when it first opened in 1874 – being the first purpose-built museum to open outside of London.
Not only was it built as a museum, but it also housed the town’s first library and so today also marks the 150th birthday of the library service here in Blackburn too.
The industrialists who funded the building of the Free Museum and Library built it with the purpose of bringing culture to the people of Blackburn, allowing them to learn, experience and better themselves.
Or, maybe, it was just to make sure they stayed out of the pub!
Whatever the reasons, we are so pleased they did.
As an institution, Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery holds an outstanding collection of paintings, Japanese prints, Christian icons, medieval manuscripts, natural history specimens, and Egyptian artefacts as well as developing one of the first, dedicated South Asian galleries and holding the Lewis Textile Collection of looms and industrial machinery.
At the event, Denise became the Council’s first female chief executive to sign the museum’s fascinating visitor book – dating back to the 1930s and boasting signatures and notes from people who have travelled from right around the world to visit.
She added:
Here at Blackburn Museum, we’re not just about preserving the past – time doesn’t stand still and neither does the museum.
The staff are absolutely committed to evolving the museum and its collections alongside the town and the communities it so faithfully serves.
As they celebrate its 150th anniversary, their goal is to continue to make the collections exciting, relevant and accessible for today’s diverse audiences – who have very different interests and experiences than the mill workers who first walked through the doors in 1874.
The museum cost a grand total of £8,424 to build and was based on a ‘Knowledge is Power’ design by Messrs Woodzsell and Collcoutt of Finsbury Place.
Rebecca Johnson, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Arts and Heritage Manager, said:
Alongside three other organisations based in our borough, the museum now proudly holds the prestigious Arts Council England National Portfolio Status.
This is testament to the way we work in the borough – as a place of support, networks and collaboration – and we were pleased to welcome our partners, including from the British Textile Biennial, National Festival of Making and Arts Council England to join us to celebrate.
Of course, the museum is much more than its collections – be that the Hokusai’s Great Wave, a rare Octavian coin, the ever-popular Egyptian Mummy or Turner watercolour.
It is about the people – the famous, the ordinary, indigenous, and newly migrated.
Their stories and narratives intertwine with that of the collections and how we all came to this place – these are the narratives that fill this building and this borough.
It’s thanks to Hart, Lewis and the many industrialists who paid for it, but also the weavers, the warpers and millworkers from Lancashire, India and Pakistan who kept those mills operating and made the money for the philanthropists to gift back to the town.
Here’s to another 150 years of discovery, creativity, and community at Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery.
The afternoon tea was part of a host of celebrations planned for the coming weeks, culminating in a birthday celebration for all on Saturday, June 22nd.
The museum will then once again play a pivotal part in the National Festival of Making – the borough’s biggest event of the year – over the weekend of July 6th and 7th.
You can find out more about the museum at: www.blackburnmuseum.org.uk
There’s also more on the history of its opening in 1874 on The Shuttle too – you can read that by clicking this link.
You can also read all about volunteer Richard and his fascinating story by clicking here.
The museum, in Museum Street, Blackburn, is open Tuesday to Saturday 11am to 4:45pm and is free to all.
You can also find Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery on Facebook, Insta, X and YouTube.