The South West Fed, in partnership with the Museum of Gloucester and Cotswold Archaeology, hosted a special event exploring the museum’s long history and the future of its collections. Talks from museum staff and archaeologists were followed by tours of the stores and the new Discovery Centre, giving members a vivid sense of both the challenges and opportunities facing Gloucester’s heritage.
A Long Legacy
Collections Officer Elizabeth Johansson-Hartley opened with a history of the museum. It began in 1838 when the Gloucester Scientific and Literary Association started collecting specimens and apparatus. Within decades the collection had outgrown its home, and in 1870 a public appeal raised funds for a new site. The first purpose-built Museum of Gloucester opened in 1873.
By the early 20th century, archaeology had become central to the museum’s identity. Donations and influential figures such as John Bellows helped safeguard finds from the 1950s, but it was not until the 1960s that the first field archaeologist, Henry Hurst, was appointed. He championed the city’s buried heritage, leading to the creation of the Gloucester Archaeology Unit in 1972.
The unit carried out rescue excavations as development spread across the city and, by the mid-1970s, had its own offices while also caring for monuments such as East Gate. In 1985 the museum extended its remit to collect archaeology for the whole county. Countywide archaeological standards only arrived in 2017. In the meantime, deposits mounted, storage filled, and expansion plans never materialised.
Problems in the Stores
Elizabeth outlined the museum’s growing storage and cataloguing issues. Demolition of a building once forced a hurried move of collections, exposing problems with pests and unsuitable conditions. When the Archaeology Unit was disbanded in 2012, its holdings were added to the museum’s already overstretched stores.
Objects were packed into tomato crates, tobacco tins, and even carrier bags, while boxes were stacked precariously. Staffing was minimal, with just one curator and a handful of assistants left to manage decades of deposits. By 2020 only one per cent of the collection could be displayed.
A collections team was formed that year. Their first tasks included decanting 25,000 objects from the former Folk Museum and reorganising hundreds of boxes—laying the groundwork for the Discovery Centre project.
The Discovery Centre
The Discovery Centre was launched to address the backlog and improve public access. Supported by grants and funding from NHLF, Gloucester city council, and other sources, the project is working through 3,000 boxes of archaeology, starting with those least well documented.
A vacant pharmacy was refurbished to house the Centre, creating light, accessible workspaces. Alongside cataloguing and conservation, it now runs engagement sessions with handling collections. Ethical standards for human remains have been introduced, and a new store in a converted Scout hut holds 5,000 boxes in a far more organised way.
Volunteer Energy
Beth Moreing from Cotswold Archaeology highlighted the vital role of volunteers in the project. So far, 87 people have taken part, contributing more than 500 volunteer sessions. Together they have reboxed over 2,100 boxes, returned 842 to the museum, and helped deselect 1.5 tonnes of material—already reducing storage needs by 14%.
The work is straightforward but transformative. Finds have turned up in every kind of container—tobacco tins, tomato boxes, even a Marks & Spencer bag—and volunteers have been repackaging them properly while learning about pottery, animal bone and other materials. To capture the wider impact, volunteers also complete regular well-being surveys, which demonstrate the strong social value of the project.
Tours and Impressions
After the talks, members were invited to tour the main stores, the library basement, and the new Discovery Centre. The contrast was striking. The older stores were crowded and difficult to navigate, while the Discovery Centre felt bright and purposeful, with volunteers at work and passers-by stopping to look in. The volunteers were clearly passionate about sharing their work, and it was inspiring to see their commitment in action.
The event demonstrated that, while the museum faces daunting challenges, it is also entering an exciting new phase. With the Discovery Centre and the dedication of volunteers, Gloucester’s past is being conserved and rediscovered for the future.
