Doncaster Museum to close its doors after 56 years tomorrow

Doncaster Museum will close its doors for the final time tomorrow after 56 years.
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The Chequer Road building, which first opened in 1964, is shutting down ahead of its move to Waterdale this summer.

And a special exhibition to mark its closure is being held at the Museum to give visitors a last chance to experience the collection in its current home.

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The ‘All Change’ exhibition showcases the history of Doncaster museum past and present and runs until tomorrow – the date the museum will close down.

Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery, Chequer Road.Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery, Chequer Road.
Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery, Chequer Road.

It will take a fond look back to when the museum used to be at Beechfield House before it moved to its current location in 1964 when it was officially opened by Princess Margaret.

The new building, which will be called the Danum Gallery, Library and Museum, will showcase many exhibits that have not been seen before and allow for more rotation of exhibits and displays.

The temporary closure allows the conservationists to carefully go through all the exhibits, recording them and checking whether the ones scheduled to move are in a suitable condition to make the short journey.

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This conservation process and the preparing of exhibits for the new museum is a delicate specialised process and does take considerable time.

The social history museum at Cusworth Hall will be available while Doncaster Museum is temporarily closed.

There are also plans to launch a dedicated travelling museum in spring 2020 funded by Arts Council England.

This mobile museum will travel right across the borough and have a ‘Best of Doncaster’ theme.

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It will showcase some of the fascinating artefacts which will go into the new museum and give people a taste of what they can expect to see and enjoy. It will also display objects and stories loaned from community groups and individuals, celebrating the Borough's rich and varied history.

The 1960s building will continue to be used for complementary cultural and learning activities with future uses that benefit the community currently being explored.

The museum will close its doors for the last time at 4.30pm.

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