St John’s Museum reopens its doors
One of Warwick’s oldest and most distinguished buildings, St Johns Museum, has recently undergone a substantial programme of refurbishment to the ground floor to include new exhibitions, visitor reception with shop & fireside reading area.
The museum reopened at the start of 3 April. Works included extensive electrical and internal building works, redecoration, replacement of stone flag flooring, renovation of oak panelling, new exhibition cases and lighting plus additional furniture and display panels.
New displays will include ‘Made to Move’ which features some of the moving toys and games from the house’s collection dating back from the early 19th century to the present day. A touch screen computer shows visitors how the toys work and move.
The second display, in a newly refurbished area adjacent to the St John’s Victorian schoolroom, recalls the experience of school at the turn of the nineteenth century. The display uses items from the house’s collection, photographs, extracts from school log books held at the County Record Office. An audio bench allows visitors to hear the experiences from school of people ranging in age from 7 to 85 years.
St John’s House was built in the 1620s by Anthony Stoughton who wanted an impressive town house to mirror his wealth. The house, which also features a large walled side garden, has been used as a private home, a school, offices for the War Office in World War II and since 1962, when it was bought by the County Council, as a museum.
St John’s House serves a dual role; it is home to the Heritage Education staff as well as serving as a working museum for the public with exhibits and displays. School groups use St Johns House each day during term-time with objects from the collection comprising important elements of the social history curriculum. In addition to the new exhibition it also features a Victorian classroom and kitchen, a large exhibition room displaying toys & games and a discovery room specifically for under fives. The house is also home to the Museum of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (Royal Warwickshire).
Museum Visitor Services Manager, Michelle Phillips said:
“We are always aiming to improve visitor services at Museum sites and hope to create a welcoming atmosphere at St John’s House that enables all our visitors to fully enjoy their visitor experience. The Museum remains partially open to the Public whilst work is completed and we look forward to launching the new exhibition on Saturday 12th April to include Victorian classroom & laundry sessions which you can take part in, story telling sessions, stilt walking Victorian Policemen & themed musical entertainment! Please contact us on 01926 412132 for further details.”