Ludlow Museum given lifeline after having to close
A museum that has had to close because of coronavirus restrictions has been given a lifeline.
Ludlow Museum at the Buttercross has received funding to help it reach an online audience. Museum bosses said they were delighted.
It has been awarded a grant of £5,420 which will be used to host online talks, a series of children’s stories and the creation of an animated timeline.
The local history museum is housed in the historic Buttercross building in the heart of the town and is usually open three days a week.
Mayor of Ludlow, Councillor Tim Gill, said: “The town council was pleased to support the idea of making the museum accessible online.
"The initiative builds on the recent successful launch of the town council’s updated website, which had only basic information about the museum, and it was felt that much more could be done to reflect the excellent in-person museum experience.”
He said that unfortunately access into the museum on the first floor of the Buttercross was via a narrow stair case.
“There is a lift, but sadly it is still not possible to meet the Covid-19 secure standards required to keep everyone safe.
“While disappointed, staff at the Buttercross were not disheartened and their application to the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust resulted in grant of £5,420 awarded on behalf of Arts Council England and the Art Fund to support digital audience engagement. “
There are three stages to the digital project. The first is a programme of six virtual talks. Museum staff say that these will build on the success of a trial event which was held in September.
In the second stage, families are being urged to look out for Impy Tales. Impy is the taxidermy dog that inhabits a case in the museum, and has inspired a series of stories about times gone by in Ludlow.
The third stage is the creation of an animated timeline at ludlow.gov.uk.
