Care and Repair at the Roman Baths.

[28/04/05 B&NES]

A SPECIAL exhibition of objects chosen by local volunteers from the stores of the Roman Baths will be on display from Saturday, April 30.

Earlier this year Bath & North East Somerset Council received a grant of £5, 750 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to take part in the South West Museum, Libraries and Archives Council’s Opening up the Stores project.

Glastonbury Abbey, the Jenner Museum in Gloucestershire and the Priest’s House Museum in Wimbourne Minster also received grants for similar projects.

At the Roman Baths six volunteers were recruited from the local community. These are people who are thinking about a career in museums.

Working with staff from the Roman Baths, the volunteers have selected around 20 objects from the museum stores which are not normally on display to the public.

The objects date from 7,000 years ago up to the 20th century and include a Viking sword, pottery and coins.

Susan Fox, Collections Manager at the Roman Baths, said: “The people involved in this project have really learned a lot about how a world class museum such as the Roman Baths, conserves and looks after the objects in its stores.

“They have also learnt about putting on an exhibition, how to display objects and also educate visitors about them in an interesting and exciting way.”

Vicky Osbourne from North Wraxall in Wiltshire is one of the volunteers. She is currently taking an access course at the City of Bath College before going on to read archaeology at university next year.

She said: “This has been an amazing opportunity and a fascinating experience. I have selected a series of objects from the stores relating to the Roman Baths and Pump Room that form a time line. These range from a Neolithic axe to a postcard showing the Pump Room in the 1930s.”

The exhibition will be on display in the West Baths section of the Roman Baths throughout May – Museums and Galleries Month.

The Roman Baths is open daily from 9am-6pm (last admission 5pm) and entry is free to residents of Bath & North East Somerset.