Warrington Museum & Art Gallery is on Bold Street in the Cultural Quarter of

Warrington Warrington () is a town and unparished area in the borough of the same name in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, on the banks of the River Mersey. It is east of Liverpool, and west of Manchester. The population in 2019 was estimat ...

in a Grade II

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

that it shares with the town's Central Library. The Museum and the Library originally opened in 1848 as the first rate-supported library in the UK, before moving to their current premises in 1858. The art galleries were subsequently added in 1877 and 1931. Operated by Culture Warrington, Warrington Museum and Art Gallery has the distinction of being one of the oldest municipal museums in the UK and much of the quintessential character of the building has been preserved.

Architecture

The museum and art gallery were built between 1855 and 1857 to a design by John Dobson. The building is constructed in brick and stone and is in two storeys. It is recorded in the

National Heritage List for England The National Heritage List for England (NHLE) is England's official database of protected heritage assets. It includes details of all English listed buildings, scheduled monuments, register of historic parks and gardens, protected shipwrecks, a ...

as a Grade II

, having been designated on 4 April 1975.

Collections

The museum's collection was originally based upon the collection of the Warrington Natural History Society but it has since grown and now includes a wide range of subjects such as ethnology, egyptology, geology, Roman Britain, pottery/ceramics, botany, fish, amphibians, reptiles, the Civil War, local industries, birds and mammals, and glass. The building also houses a collection of around 1,000 paintings, (oils, watercolours and prints) from the 19th and early 20th centuries, many of which are on display in the mezzanine Art Gallery on the 2nd floor. One of the most famous works in the collection is ''Between The Tides'' (1901) by Walter Langley, acquired in 1966. On the first floor there are two temporary galleries, one large and one small, which frequently display travelling exhibitions and the work of local artists and events relating to the community. One exhibit which has received some public attention is the

seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, or "true seal" ** Fur seal * Seal (emblem), a device to imp ...

, which was shot in Paddington Lock in 1908, then given to the Museum. In 1999 James Dickinson repaired the mount, giving it new whiskers "rescued from an old tiger".

Notable staff

* Arthur Deane, FRSE, Assistant Curator 1901–5

References

External links

Warrington Museum & Art Gallery
{{DEFAULTSORT:Warrington Museum and Art Gallery Grade II listed buildings in Cheshire Museums in Cheshire Art museums and galleries in Cheshire Tourist attractions in Warrington Natural history museums in England Musical instrument museums in England Archaeological museums in England Local museums in Cheshire

Architecture

Collections

Notable staff

See also

References

External links