Collections Resources Centre

Barrow upon Soar

Admission: Free

Visiting Times: By appointment only

For more information and to book your visit:

Collections Resources Centre
c/o Heritage Services
County Hall
Glenfield
LE3 8RA

Tel: 01509 815514
Fax: 01509 813934
Email: museums@leics.gov.uk

About the resourses centre | Visiting

About the resources centre

Viewing an Italian Corset from the Costume Collections

The Collections Resources Centre offers unique behind the scenes access to the County Council's museum collections.

The collections are used by the museum curators to create exhibitions at various museum venues. They are studied by staff and researchers to address issues such as sustainable development and the quality of the environment.

In various ways they provide an insight for visitors and students into the heritage of the County and the ways in which life in Leicestershire has changed over time. They are also used for scientific, cultural and historical research as well as education.

The Centre provides storage facilities to safeguard the collections for generations to come, some of which are rarely seen on display due to the conditions required. It reveals the incredible range and importance of the County Council's heritage collections, which have been accumulated since the 1840s.

The Centre houses thousands of objects including: Studying the butterfly collection

Archaeology: finds from excavations and fieldwork, with their documentary records.
Art: pictures of Leicestershire and works by local artists.
Costume: clothes and footwear from the past 250 years.
Geology: rocks and minerals dating back millions of years.
Home and Family Life: household items such as dolls and toys dating from the 1800s to the present day.
Natural Life: plant and animal specimens such as butterflies and mosses with their associated historical information.
Working Life: agricultural equipment, craft tools, and items from trades no longer operating.

Highlights include:

Nationally significant reference collections of insects and lower plants such as mosses and lichens
Study collections of birds, mammals and flowering plants.
Historic drawings of Leicestershire buildings and landscapes.
The NEXT collection of high street fashion.
The Palitoy collection of toys (including Action Man) from Coalville.
The Symington Corsetry Collection from Market Harborough.

Visiting

The Collections Resources Centre is open by appoinment only and offers the chance to meet the curators and to use the collections through:

individual and group visits
public open days

Individuals and small groups will be able to:

have guided tours of the site
make detailed study of parts of the collections
arrange loans of selected Natural Life specimens

Visitors to Open Days at the Collections Resources Centre will be able to:

view fascinating historic objects, some of which are rarely seen on display
meet the museum curators

Access for People with Disabilities:

space for car parking immediately in front of the building

approximately half the site can be visited without climbing any steps
wheelchair accessible study room
wheelchair accessible toilet facilities

Public Transport Access:

Buses between Leicester and Loughborough, running every half-hour during the day, stopping 5 minutes walk away from the site.

Railway stations at Barrow upon Soar and Sileby on the "Ivanhoe Line" are each about 20 minutes walk from the Centre and close to the bus route.

Visits can be booked in advance with the relevant curator. Please contact us for further information.