Corinium Museum celebrates being 80 years old this year.
How things have changed in the last eight decades…
Newspaper archives from October 1938 recall how private collections from the Earl and Countess Bathurst and Sir Frederick Cripps were donated, along with the ground on which the museum is situated, to create the Corinium Museum in the heart of Cirencester.
Many of the exhibits in the original Museum focused on local on finds from when the Romans occupied Cirencester, then known as “Cornium Dobunnorum”. Today the museum takes its visitors on a journey through time, from prehistory to the modern day.
The museum was renovated in the early 1970’s, making room for some of our famous mosaics which are on display, including the Hare Mosaic shown here.
Further renovation followed in 2004 resulting in the layout and exhibits you can see today. This also allows dedicated space for art installations and temporary exhibitions, along with a lecture theatre and shop. The museum is now also home to the town’s Visitor Information Centre and continues to be a favourite for school trips, archeological societies and children who engage with interactive exhibits.
Over the years our collections team has been asked to identify many objects brought into us from members of the public, including Roman, Victorian and 20th Century. Objects are frequently found in someone’s back garden!
The Corinium Museum continues to be a must-see for all ages. Happy 80th Birthday!
