Where
Salisbury. The Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum has been in its home in the King’s House, Cathedral Close, since 1981.
What
“The museum is about the history and archaeology of south Wiltshire from prehistory to the present day,” says director Adrian Green. “Our major strength is our Designated archaeology collection and within our collecting area we have one of the most impressive prehistoric sites in the world – Stonehenge.”
Opened
1860.
Collection
The collection ranges from prehistoric archaeology to costume, ceramics and fine art, with pictures by JMW Turner, Augustus John and Rex Whistler. There is an important medieval collection. “The 12-foot Salisbury Giant survives from the 1400s. He and his hobbyhorse- like companion Hob Nob used to be paraded around town on Midsummer’s Day.”
Highlights
“My highlight would have to be the Pitt Rivers Wessex collection,” Green says. “In 1880 General Pitt Rivers inherited a vast estate on Cranborne Chase. He spent the last 20 years of his life excavating sites on his land.
As well as founding a museum at Oxford, he was also one of the founding fathers of archaeology. He founded a second public museum on his estate and part of those collections came to Salisbury Museum in 1975.”
Help at hand
15 staff and more than 100 volunteers.
Budget
The annual budget is about £300,000. There is an annual grant from Wiltshire Council of £61,244, but most income comes from admission charges (adults £6), donations, memberships, legacies and rental income. “This year we secured a grant from Salisbury City Council, so we are in the unusual situation of having our public funding go up in the current financial climate,” says Green.
Sticky moment
“Soon after I started in 2007 our Wiltshire Council grant was up for review,” Green says. “Without it, the museum would have serious sustainability issues, but we were able to demonstrate what great plans we had for the future and kept the grant.”
Survival tip
“Don’t be afraid to get stuck into the day-to-day jobs as well as work at a strategic level,” Green says. “I will do whatever is necessary to get a job done – even if it means painting the shop one day, and the next day talking to a funding body.”
Visitors
Nearly 20,000 visitors in 2010, but many more attend evening lectures and use the cafe.
Future plans
A £2m redevelopment of the King’s House, starting with the archaeology galleries.
www.salisburymuseum.org.uk
Salisbury. The Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum has been in its home in the King’s House, Cathedral Close, since 1981.
What
“The museum is about the history and archaeology of south Wiltshire from prehistory to the present day,” says director Adrian Green. “Our major strength is our Designated archaeology collection and within our collecting area we have one of the most impressive prehistoric sites in the world – Stonehenge.”
Opened
1860.
Collection
The collection ranges from prehistoric archaeology to costume, ceramics and fine art, with pictures by JMW Turner, Augustus John and Rex Whistler. There is an important medieval collection. “The 12-foot Salisbury Giant survives from the 1400s. He and his hobbyhorse- like companion Hob Nob used to be paraded around town on Midsummer’s Day.”
Highlights
“My highlight would have to be the Pitt Rivers Wessex collection,” Green says. “In 1880 General Pitt Rivers inherited a vast estate on Cranborne Chase. He spent the last 20 years of his life excavating sites on his land.
As well as founding a museum at Oxford, he was also one of the founding fathers of archaeology. He founded a second public museum on his estate and part of those collections came to Salisbury Museum in 1975.”
Help at hand
15 staff and more than 100 volunteers.
Budget
The annual budget is about £300,000. There is an annual grant from Wiltshire Council of £61,244, but most income comes from admission charges (adults £6), donations, memberships, legacies and rental income. “This year we secured a grant from Salisbury City Council, so we are in the unusual situation of having our public funding go up in the current financial climate,” says Green.
Sticky moment
“Soon after I started in 2007 our Wiltshire Council grant was up for review,” Green says. “Without it, the museum would have serious sustainability issues, but we were able to demonstrate what great plans we had for the future and kept the grant.”
Survival tip
“Don’t be afraid to get stuck into the day-to-day jobs as well as work at a strategic level,” Green says. “I will do whatever is necessary to get a job done – even if it means painting the shop one day, and the next day talking to a funding body.”
Visitors
Nearly 20,000 visitors in 2010, but many more attend evening lectures and use the cafe.
Future plans
A £2m redevelopment of the King’s House, starting with the archaeology galleries.
www.salisburymuseum.org.uk