The Ely Museum is now re-open! The museum has been closed since September 2019 for an extensive redevelopment funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and other donations. Elie Hughes, the museum’s curator, kindly showed me around the new exhibits and interactive galleries. While the museum adapted during the pandemic by providing virtual visits, I am delighted that the museum is now able to welcome visitors in person again and the renovations allow for you to see much more of Ely’s former jail while also making the museum more accessible. For a region with such a rich heritage as ours, it is really crucial that our history is promoted and protected for future generations. The exhibits provide an insight into a very different Ely from how it is today with artefacts dating back thousands of years and I was struck by the variety and breadth of local history on offer. It was great to see that one of my own leaflets, detailing the support available at the start of the pandemic was included in the museum’s exhibition on how Covid 19 has affected the local area.
I also learned how the museum is benefiting from £27,000 provided by the Government's Culture Recovery Fund, which is part of the national effort to protect our most loved cultural organisations and heritage sites at this challenging time.
If you’re able to, do visit the Museum and learn more about our area’s fascinating past. You can find out more by visiting their website: https://www.elymuseum.org.uk/
