Ludlow Library and Museum Resource Centre- FAQs

FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions



What is the LMRC ?

The Library & Museum Resource Centre is a joint use building providing the people of Ludlow and the surrounding area with an up to date library with improved access and facilities as well as providing the County with a state of the art museum resource centre. This will allow the county’s museum collections to be cared for in a way that will ensure their survival in to the future, and allows the return of the Shropshire Mammoths.


Why in Ludlow ?

When the decision was made to build a new Museum Resource Centre in the County to hold the geology, natural science and social history collections, which have been based in Ludlow for many years, it was clear that many local people didn’t want to see them moved away to Shrewsbury. This coupled with the need for an up to date library in the town has provided an ideal opportunity to allow the two services to work more closely and to build a joint use building.


What does the Museum Resource Centre contain ?

The MRC holds the Geology, Natural History, Social History and Picture collections not just for Ludlow but, for the whole of Shropshire. Examples of some of the collections that we hold can be found on this site.


What’s so important about the collections ?

The County Museum Services collections represent a record of life in Shropshire throughout the last 500 million years. The Geology collection is one of the best in the region and reflects the importance of South Shropshire’s Geology. It also contains nationally important material like the Shropshire Mammoths.

The Natural History collections provide an important reference for those interested in finding out what types of plants and animals can be found in Shropshire today.

The Social History collections also tell us something of the human history of the area with much of the material from Ludlow.


Will it replace the library in Old Street ?

Yes. The new Library replaces the one in Old Street and provides better access, more up to date facilities and handy local parking.


Will it replace the museum in Castle Street ?

No! The Museum in Castle Street will be open as usual. The MRC replaces outdated stores in Old Street, allowing us to give you better access to the County Museum Service collections, for research, education and enjoyment.


What can I do here ?

The MRC isn’t just a store for the counties collections. Here are just a few of the things you can find out about or do within the LMRC

Borrow books and CDs
Study family & local history
See regularly changing exhibitions, including local crafts and arts.
Identify things you’ve found
Learn about the history of the town
Taster sessions using objects from the collections
Classes, lectures and workshops



What can schools do here ?

There are wide ranging educational and recreational activities for children & school groups within the LMRC. Whether it’s holiday story times in the Library or more formal education sessions about Tudor Ludlow or Fossils using objects from the collections. The MRC is also a development centre for our school loans service. For a full range of information contact our Education Officer via our contact us page on this site.


What exhibitions might I see ?

We will have a series of temporary exhibitions in the MRC, using the foyer, exhibition gallery and the meeting room. This will enable us to show you some of the things from our collection that we just haven’t had the space to display at Castle Street. To see what we are planning go to our News page.

Where are the Shopshire mammoths ?

The famous Shropshire Mammoths are now housed in the Hanson geology room. Too fragile to display as articulated skeletons they require constant environmental conditions to prevent them from being damaged. You will be able to see some of the original material by joining us on one of our free tours of the stores. Just contact us to book your place.


Can I research Ludlow history ?

Yes! The Library & Museum both hold information that you may find useful in researching the Ludlow area, whether it be old Ludlow newspapers dating from the 1800’s, trade directories of local businesses or old photographs of the town.


Can I hold meetings here ?

Yes! The Meeting room within the Library can be hired for evening or daytime meetings, by groups or societies and if available, can be booked either by phone or in person. The education room is also available for hire by specialist groups and can provide facilities such as computer access and microscopes.


Can I research family history ?

Yes! Ludlow Library holds microfiche copies of census returns from 1841-91 and burial records for Ludlow. It also has access to information on the Internet, all of which can be used for your family history research.


How can I get to see the collections ?

With the additional space that the foyer and exhibition areas provide we will be able to display more of the museums collections than ever before. However, this is still just the tip of the iceberg. Parts of the collections may be viewed by appointment through the museum staff, or alternatively we’ll be conducting regular tours of the new building, to show you some of the behind the scenes work that we do, and some of the items we haven’t yet displayed.


How can I volunteer ?

We have a large team of volunteers who have put in a huge amount of effort over recent years and who contribute a great deal to every project we undertake.

If you would be interested in working with us on some aspect of the collections we’d love to hear from you. See our contact us page for details of how to get in touch.