Keswick Museum

The Keswick Museum and Art Gallery in Cumbria was founded in 1873 and had a number of temporary homes as it grew, including the Moot Hall in Keswick town centre.

A building was purpose built for it, in Fitz Park, partly as a memorial to the Hewetson brothers; distinguished Keswick benefactors, and to commemorate the jubilee of Queen Victoria. It remains the only purpose-built museum in the county.

The two original galleries were the Main Gallery and the Model Gallery, the latter built especially for Flintoft's famous model.

The building work started in 1897 and the Grand Opening was on Easter Monday, April 11th 1898.

The 'Picture Gallery' was added later, through the energies of Canon Rawnsley, a Museum Trustee and one of the founders of the National Trust. It opened in July 1906.

The Fitz Park Trust, which was founded in 1882, took over the running of the museum and kept it and Fitz Park for the enjoyment of "the inhabitants of Keswick and the visitors thereto", until 1994.

The Museum was handed over to the Borough Council for financial reasons, in April 1994, and the park to the Town Council. Both are kept as charitable trusts on behalf of the local people.

In February 2007, Keswick Museum and Art Gallery Management Limited was formed; a company made up of local people, who now run the Museum of Allerdale Borough Council, the sole trustee.

Exhibits

The museum was recently voted the third weirdest museum in the world.

Some of its contents include:

• The Musical Stones of Skiddaw (Played to Queen Victoria)
• Napolean's Teacup
• John Peel's rocking chair
• A stuffed Golden Eagle
• Britain's rarest fish, pickled in a jar
• A 665 Year Old Mummified Cat
• The skin of a giant cobra

The museum was also once home to the legendary Girt dog of Ennerdale after it had been stuffed and mounted.

As of 2004, the Museum became free to enter for all. It relies on donations from the public to stay open.