The Chadwick gallery is the focal point for the Bolton chapter of the story. Offering an insight into the origins of Bolton Museum and its collection, this whimsical experience transports visitors back in time to Victorian Queen’s Park, where the predecessor of today’s museum once stood: The Chadwick Museum.
The main feature of this room is a giant “dolls’ house” of the original Chadwick Museum; the design of the original external architectural features carefully informed by archival research, descriptions, newspaper articles and photographs.
A wall-mounted display expands on the stories of collectors introduced in the Portico. Tying together the lives and work of historic philanthropists such as Annie Barlow, we make connections between the people, objects and places that brought together Bolton’s iconic textile trade with exploration and acquisitions in Egypt.
Younger visitors can curate their own museum, using the tactile, interactive replica models of original displays from the museum’s collection. Integrated displays above include artefacts which represent the various collections held in this original museum.
