Penrith Museum (Eden District Council)

Penrith & Eden Museum reopens after major refurbishment

On 29 July the Chairman of Eden District Council, Councillor Joan Raine, formally reopened the newly refurbished Penrith and Eden Museum. The refurbishment has resulted in increased high-quality space for temporary exhibitions and educational workshops, with improved lighting as well as the installation of an audiovisual projection system. Upgrading the venue has greatly improved access for wheelchair users and there is a new induction loop system in every gallery. 

A major highlight of the refurbished museum is the film ‘Stones from the Sky’ by Aaron Watson and John Was, which was specially commissioned by Eden District Council in partnership with the Environment Agency. The film is a dramatic audiovisual portrayal of prehistoric Cumbria that imaginatively explores the story and meaning of the stone axe, an icon of the Neolithic period.  It is being shown in the Museum’s new gallery which features prehistoric artefacts from the Eden area. Some of this material is on loan from Tullie House Museum but much was found during the Museum’s own fieldwalking project led by Annie Hamilton-Gibney, which was part funded with support from CWAAS.  

Also on show in the Museum (until October) is artwork by members of Brough and Stainmore Art Group and Penrith Art Club produced during a project grant-aided by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.

The reopening launch also celebrated the success of the education and outreach programme at the Museum which has been given national recognition. A chapter on the Museum’s ‘Rock Art Project’, written by Judith Clarke and Karen MacDougall, has been included in a newly published book which contains work by many leading experts in the field*.

To mark the Museum’s reopening, on Saturday 31 July and Sunday 1 August, Will Lord of ‘Beyond 2000bc’, ran ‘Living Prehistory’ demonstrations. There were also special ‘family fun’ drawing workshops on Tuesday 3 and Thursday 5 August. These events were part of the ‘Vintage Penrith Festival Week’ when the Friends of the Museum were instrumental in running a Museum display in one of the empty shops in the Devonshire Arcade. 

*‘Carving a future for British Rock Art: new directions for research, management and presentation’. (2010). Edited by Tertia Barnett & Kate Sharpe; Published by Oxbow Books.