This award winning Museum takes you back through time to explore the story of the Lake District and its inhabitants. Isolated before the arrival of the railway and motorcar, this area developed its own unique customs and traditions.
Recreated period rooms and workshops reveal how rural people lived and worked and played and how different life was before the introduction of machinery. Discover a Lake District kitchen, complete with traditional recipes and utensils, a bedroom full of vernacular furniture and furnishings – including a magnificent 17th century four-poster bed, a farmhouse parlour with a working phonograph and rare 18th century oak panelling.
Lifelike displays narrate the stories of individuals who left their mark on the history of the Lake District, providing a rare insight into now lost trades and professions. See the tools of Victorian farmers and miners who made their living working the land in this area of exceptional natural beauty.
Arthur Ransome and ‘Swallows and Amazons’
Admire the original sketches for the illustration of the popular children’s series and the author’s manuscripts. The museum has a wealth of souvenirs and mementoes of his sailing adventures, all complemented by photographs from the author’s collection.
Lakeland Photographers
Discover nostalgic images of the 1940s and 50s taken by the Westmorland Gazette photographer Joseph Hardman, and a selection of Victorian photography.
The Arts & Crafts Movement in the Lake District
The spectacular scenery and peaceful atmosphere of the area had been attracting great artists and writers and inspired local people long before its “discovery” by the masses. The beauty of the surroundings, the wealth of natural resources – wool, leather, linen, copper, wood and minerals – and the knowledge of how to work them, inspired local craftspeople to establish cottage industries along the Arts and Crafts principles of fine craftsmanship and design drawing inspiration from nature.
A special display traces the development of the Arts and Crafts Movement locally, with examples of metalwork by the Keswick School of Industrial Art, woodwork by Simpsons of Kendal and Stanley Webb Davies, exquisite textiles from Annie Garnett’s famous workshop, The Spinnery, and samples of Langdale Linen and Ruskin lace.
New Display - Industrial Woodland
On Display until 3 Jul 2010
Despite its tranquil appearance today, the broad-leaved woodland of this region was once at the heart of the industrial revolution in Lakeland. It was intensively coppiced to provide raw materials for industry, both locally and further afield. The display provides an insight into coppicing, charcoal production and swill basket-making and includes a short film showcasing the work of Owen Jones, the last full time swill basket maker. Native woodland is attracting new interest as a renewable and environmentally friendly resource. Thanks to a few dedicated individuals who have carried on the traditional skills of their forefathers, woodland crafts are experiencing something of a renaissance.
New Display - Victorian Costume: 1837 to 1901
On Display until 18 Dec 2010
The Museum of Lakeland Life has an impressive collection of costume and this display allows us to showcase some of our best Victorian pieces. See the changing shape of fashion through Queen Victoria’s reign, from crinolines to bodices and bonnets to leg of mutton sleeves.
