Every time you step in a museum it feels like a piece of history is waiting to be discovered. Even if it’s not as vast as others, The Rotunda Museum from Scarborough, UK still remains a fascinating place to visit.
Opened in 1829, the Rotunda Museum is one of the world’s first purpose-built museums and was built to a design suggested by William ‘Strata’ Smith, known as the father of English Geology. The interior, with its fascinating Georgian gallery, features a frieze showing the geology of the local coastline designed by Smith’s nephew, John Phillips. The original cases tell the history of the museum and they explore the stories of the nineteenth century Scarborough Philosophical Society which brought the collections together.
This travelling platform was made in 1838 by Dr.William Harland to give access to the newly completed upper display cases in the Museum. It cost 6.10£ to make and is thought to be unique in its construction.
These books about molluscs were donated by Miss Currer, a friend of the famous Bronte family, who lived at Howarth, in West Yorkshire. It is believed that Charlotte’s use of the alias “Currer Bell” when publishing her novels was in thanks to Miss Currer for her financial help after the death of the Brontes’ mother.
The splendid collection of fossil remains, minerals and other specimens of natural, history and antiquities, of great value and rarity formed by Thomas Hinderwell, author of “The History of Scarborough” was offered to the Museum by Thomas Duesbery of Beverley, who established the basis of the Scarborough Museum.
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