Amazing Animals on Tour: Doncaster’s Moving Museum Brings Heritage to the Heart of the City
The Moving Museum rolled into the space between Cast and the Doncaster Register Office this week, bringing with it a burst of curiosity, conversation and community learning.
The Moving Museum rolled into the space between Cast and the Doncaster Register Office on June 8, bringing with it a burst of curiosity, conversation and community learning.
Run by the brilliant Eleanor Beestin-Sheriff, the Moving Museum is part of Doncaster Council’s Heritage Doncaster and DGLAM, and has become one of the city’s most creative approaches to making culture accessible to everyone.
Eleanor has been curating and running the Moving Museum for many years, and her passion for sharing Doncaster’s heritage is unmistakable.
The current exhibition is themed around amazing animals, curated by Eleanor alongside Alex Thomas, it is now travelling across Doncaster to bring artwork, objects and artefacts directly into local communities.
Dean Cook who visited the collection told us: “This approach is powerful. Not everyone can easily visit the Doncaster Gallery, Library and Museum, so the Moving Museum flips the model on its head by taking the experience to the people. It’s inclusive, engaging and wonderfully hands-on.”
At the Moving Museum, visitors can explore a fascinating mix of objects, including a fossilised ammonite around 66 million years old, an official 1975 Doncaster St Leger programme, a striking Atlas Moth from Taiwan, a Yorkshire Wildlife Park membership card from 2017 and many more curious, surprising items.
Dean continued: “What truly elevates the experience is Eleanor herself.
“Her knowledge, warmth and storytelling turn each object into a doorway of discovery.
“At one point she shared a fact that stopped me in my tracks: the Atlas Moth, after reproduction, will starve itself to death because it no longer has functioning mouthparts.
“It’s these in-person, unforgettable insights that make the Moving Museum such a treasure.
“The project is a shining example of how heritage can be made more accessible, more inclusive and more connected to everyday life.
“Whether you’re a family, a passer-by, or someone who simply loves learning, the Moving Museum offers something special.”
Want to know where the Moving Museum is heading next?
For schedules, locations and more information, visit: https://www.heritagedoncaster.org.uk/projects/movingmuseum/