Our museums are distinguished by its unique collection of objects that forms the core of all its activities such as exhibitions, education sessions and research. Through such services, Shropshire Museums enable people to explore collections for inspiration, learning and enjoyment. These collections are a tangible link between the past, present and future and it is a museums governing body’s responsibility to balance the interests of each generation by safeguarding collections through appropriate standards of care.
Over the last 5 years collecting has reduced considerably with work focusing instead on understanding, organising and unlocking the potential of our existing collections and finding a range of innovative and sustainable ways of creating access them. We are currently working through the major and important collections inherited from Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council and built up over 150 years. Our focus for the next five years will be improvements to the long term care and management of these collections.
Shropshire Museums continues to collect for a range of reasons. Without maintaining a museum collection within the public domain much of the physical evidence for Shropshire’s rich natural and human history would be lost or inaccessible to the public. Objects are much more powerful and, when interpreted well, intellectually accessible, than an image on a screen or words on a page.
To find out more about what we collect, why and how please follow the link below to our current Collections Policy.