Stores at Ludlow Library and Museum Resource Centre

Since many museum objects are sensitive to changes in light and humidity, as well as being fragile to begin with, the new museum resource centre aims to safeguard their future, as well as provide the public with better access to them.

The museum service holds many varied collections, requiring different environmental conditions, and methods of storage. Therefore each of our collection types has its own store within the new building that can be monitored and the climate controlled to suit the needs of the objects.

Geology room

The Hanson Geology room now houses the County’s collections of rocks, fossils and minerals. In total there are some 35,000 specimens from all over Shropshire, with some from further a field. The collection includes the famous Shropshire Mammoths, as well as important collections of fossil fish and cephalopods.

Natural History store

Over 58000 natural history specimens are held in this store. These include mounted birds and animals, butterflies, corals, molluscs and plants. They provide us with a great resource for showing the variety of life within Shropshire and beyond.

Art store

In all about 1000 objects from the County Museum Service Art collections are now stored at the Resource Centre. Most of these objects are oil paintings, watercolours and prints, hung on special racking. However, there are also some decorative arts objects that require storage in boxes.

Social History store

Collections of local and social history number approximately 10,000 objects. These are the everyday things used by people through the years that tell us a lot about the lives of our ancestors. They range from tools to costume, from magic lanterns to sewing machines.

Exhibition space

The Museum Resource Centre isn't just a facility for storing the county's important collections. It is also a place for you to come and see the objects themselves. The exhibition area within the new centre includes both a sunken gallery with showcases for our collections, as well as the foyer and meeting room. This provides extra space in which to display some of those objects the public don't usually see, like the Shropshire mammoths.