Congleton Museum

Story

Congleton Museum is a local museum in Congleton, Cheshire, northwest England, covering the history of the town of Congleton, which is situated on the banks of the River Dane. Congleton Museum Trust was established in 1985 by a group of people interested in local history. The museum is located in the Market square of Congleton.HistoryIn 1985 a group of local people formed the Congleton Museum Trust. They collected artefacts, raised money and searched the town for premises suitable for a museum. In the mid-1990s, a second group of people, who planned to refurbish Congleton Town Hall with the help of Regeneration Funding, became involved, and a museum was written into the refurbishment plans. The former police station, a Victorian building which was part of the town hall complex, was proposed as the museum. The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded the project over £200,000, and other local and national trusts, businesses and local authorities assisted. Building work started in January 2002, and Congleton Museum opened on 29 July 2002. It was officially opened by the Duke of Gloucester later that year.Collection and exhibitsThe museum focuses on the history of Congleton and its immediate neighbourhood, with particular emphasis on prehistory, the Civil War, the Industrial age and World War Two. The main display area is on the ground floor. On the first floor there is a research library and map collection and an education room. This is used for exhibitions, school visits, talks and social events. There are also showcases for the display of other items from the collection.