Museum Piece

Wisbech has a grand little museum which is well worth a visit. 
So lets visit!

In its day it was at the cutting-edge of museum innovation, being housed in purpose-built premises. But, like much of the town, its day was a while ago and the rest of the world has moved on without it.

You won't find any touch-screens or interactive displays in here. They just collect the items, put them in a case with a little label and leave the rest to your imagination. Hurray!

It's all in here somewhere! Stuffed specimens of local wildlife, fine porcelain, items dug up during the drainage of the fens, fossils, manuscripts, items crafted in far-off lands, stock from a village shop, woodworking tools, old army uniforms, crystal rock formations, coins from previous centuries, Victorian samplers, odd bits of furniture, agricultural tools, a Burmese buddha, mantraps, old photographs, Napoleon's breakfast service....

See? You thought I was making that one up. But here it is, apparently captured at the battle of Waterloo. 
"What did you do in the war, Daddy?" 
"Oh, I captured an enemy breakfast service!"

Very nice it looked though. And what's this.....?

Bird's Instant Whip! I used to like that when I was a lad. And Chivers jellies, made just a few miles away in Histon.

 There's a bust of Thomas Clarkson of course, the anti-slavery campaigner.

And the museum is rightly proud of having in its possession the original manuscript of "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens. Though somehow I keep thinking about Mel Brookes' comment about Shakespeare - “A great writer? He was a dreadful writer. Every letter was cockeyed. He had the worst penmanship I ever saw in my life!"

Ah! The door from Wisbech jail - I couldn't get by without seeing that!

But seriously there's so much crammed in here in such a small space that I could happily spend a rainy day in here. But, hey, the sun is shining and it's one o'clock. That means that Peckover House and gardens are now open. I'll show you next time....

Take care.