The Friends of Salford Museums Association are celebrating their 60th birthday by sharing some of the fascinating objects they have helped to secure for the museum collections.
From pencil sketches to oil paintings, sculptures to games, many of these items have not been on public display for a number of years. We have brought out some of the highlights and some of the not so well known pieces from the stores to share with you.
The Friends were first set up in 1956 to support the work of Salford Museum and Art Gallery and Ordsall Hall, and venues that have since closed including Monk’s Hall, The Mining Museum and the Memorial Art Gallery in Swinton.
In addition, the Friends support a large number of projects and funding grants for both Salford Museum and Art Gallery and Ordsall Hall. Their support is essential to the work that we do, from conservation to community engagement; they are at the heart of the museum service.
In addition to funding artworks and objects for the museums the Friends of Salford Museums Association have also made many contributions behind the scenes to support educational and cultural programmes.
Funding secured from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other Trusts has enabled us to support projects such as the restoration of Ordsall Hall and to provide a co-ordinator for the Salford World War One project.
They also raise funds through membership, donations and activities such as selling strawberries and cream at the Ordsall Hall Garden Party. Recently these funds have been used to purchase staging for dramatic productions, concerts and weddings at Ordsall Hall and Peel Park. It also provided map cabinets and a copying machine to support research in the refurbished Local History Library.
The Association also funded the redecoration of the Victorian Gallery during 2014 and has over the past two years provided bursaries for local applicants attending the Royal Horticultural Society courses being held at Ordsall Hall.
Perhaps one of our most significant hidden contributions was the support given for the securement of the Ordsall Hall marriage bed now on loan from a philanthropist.
In addition the “Friends” also arranged for professional photographs to be taken and for the publication of an explanatory book.
This is a rare opportunity to see this eclectic mix of objects, find out about the Friends and play on our giant board game!
Don Rainger, The Associations Chairman says: “The Friends are delighted to be able to see some of the many items that they have donated to the City’s collections on view to the public. Our sixtieth birthday is a significant event and we are looking forward to celebrating it with a sense of history and lot of fun.”
2 April to 13 November 2016
