Search is on for Leicestershire's favourite museum object!
Members of the public are being asked to enter an online competition and vote for their favourite museum object in Leicestershire.The search for the best object follows the success of Leicestershire Revealed, an online collection of the top 100 items displayed in the County’s museums.
The objects relate to domestic life, the County’s industry, natural life, transport and travel, sports, games and more. They range in age from 6,000 years old to objects from the present day. Each item tells a unique story that will give a taste of what can be seen in the County’s museums.
Members of the public have the chance to rate and comment on the objects and choose their favourite online at the following website www.leics.gov.uk/revealed The closing date for entries is 30th November and the winning artefact will be announced in early December. One lucky entrant will be picked at random and will win a free pass to visit Leicestershire’s award winning museums.
Museums in Leicestershire care for over a million objects and they enable us to tell the story of the people who have made the County their home. Star objects included within the online collection tell particular stories and form part of Leicestershire’s history, such as:
- ·A programme from Leicester City’s first FA cup final in 1949 against Wolverhampton Wanderers. (This can be seen by appointment at the Leicester City Football Club)
- ·A bottle of Champagne, signed by Sir Frank Whittle, inventor of the jet engine, and the Power Jets team after the first successful jet engine test flight on 15th May 1941. (On display at Lutterworth Museum)
- ·A first century gold coin made by the Corieltavi local tribe. One of over 5,000 coins found at a Late Iron Age shrine near Hallaton in Leicestershire. (On display at Harborough Museum)
- ·An Action Man toy of the 1960s designed and made in Coalville by the Palitoy company. (On display at Snibston)
- ·A medal from the Whitwick Colliery disaster in 1898. Thirty-five miners died in an underground fire in no. 5 pit of the colliery. This medal was presented to William Lawson to acknowledge his bravery in attempting to rescue victims of the disaster. (On display at Whitwick Historical Group)
- ·The Leicestershire-made ‘ventilated’ corset that was a practical under-garment made for western women to wear in hot countries. It provides a fascinating glimpse of life in parts of the British Empire in the 1890s. (On display at Snibston)
David Sprason, Leicestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults and Communities, said:
"Leicestershire is steeped in history and this is reflected in the fantastic array of objects included in the online collection. This competition provides the opportunity for people to vote for their favourite item that perhaps is significant to them, or is just something that they find fascinating. Whatever the reason, vote for your favourite object and be in with a chance of winning a prize."
There are over 50 museums in Leicestershire and many of them have free admission and offer a great day out. All of them can be found in the Leicestershire & Rutland Museums Guide which can be downloaded at: www.leics.gov.uk/museumsguide
For more information please contact Robin Clarke, Community Museums Officer on: 0116 305 4140 or 07825 062002, by email at Museums@leics.gov.uk or visit our website www.leics.gov.uk/Museums