Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery celebrates receiving Designated status

14 Dec 2018 04:16 PM

Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery’s Natural Science Collection has just been awarded Designated status by the Arts Council.

The collection’s ability to show how Cumbria's diverse fauna and flora is changing over time was an important factor in securing Designation status.

Consisting of over 320,000 specimens, some of which are over 200 years old, the collection includes a variety of items from different disciplines including insects, taxidermy, bird eggs, botanical pressed sheets and rocks, minerals and fossils. It is currently part of a large research project headed by Imperial College London and the Natural History Museum in researching how bumblebees, vital pollinators for our crops, are responding to land-use change.

The Arts Council’s Designation Scheme recognises collections of national significance and quality throughout England. There are currently 149 collections with Designated status including those under the care of Wordsworth Trust, Manchester City Galleries and The People’s History Museum.

Andrew Mackay, Director, Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery commented: “It is a huge achievement for the organisation the size of Tullie House to receive such an accolade. The award recognises the collection and the work that the museum and its partners undertake in caring for and developing an essential resource for understanding the exceptional natural history of Cumbria.”

Sarah Maxfield, Area Director, North, Arts Council England recently said:

“We are delighted to be awarding this prestigious standard to Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery Trust. The natural science collection offers a fascinating and important insight into the history of the nation and should be celebrated.”

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