The Armitt : Museum, Gallery, Library

11/03/2025

Who was TW Thompson, and what did he contribute to Cumbria?

Armitt volunteer Mike Green kicks off our with a deep dive into the life and work of local historian Thomas William Thompson 📚🔍

Tickets are £5 per person: https://tinyurl.com/y8vp633h

Check out Mike's online exhibition on our website here: https://www.armitt.com/t-w-thompson/

Image description: A sepia photo of TW Thompson in the library at Hawkshead Grammar School. Thompson is a middle-aged white man with a balding head, leaning over a desk as a he studies a large book. He wears glasses, a large woollen coat and a scarf. Behind him are rows of shelves full of old books, protected by wire and wooden bars. The blue Armitt logo is in the top left corner. To the right, blue text on a torn piece of white paper reads: Armitt Talk Series, TW Thompson, his life and underrated work, Tuesday twenty fifth of March, two to three thirty pm. In the top right corner, white text in a blue circle reads: Five pounds per person

10/03/2025

📣JOBS AT THE ARMITT - 1 WEEK TO APPLY📣

Could YOU do tours around , the most-photographed building in the ?

We are looking for two part-time Museum Assistants to join our team:
- Marketing & Content
- Documentation & Collections

Could this be you? Email your CV and cover letter to [email protected] by 5pm THIS SUNDAY to be part of 's favourite library 💗📚

More info here: https://www.armitt.com/get-involved/ #

Image description: The Bridge House in Ambleside on a sunny day. The house is a small two storey building on a stone bridge over Stock Ghyll. It has a blue door on each floor, with outside steps on the left hand side and a flower box of ferns on the upper floor. There is a small chalk board on the pavement in front of the house advertising tours, and blue sky overhead. White text over the house, under the white Armitt logo, reads: Job opportunities, two museum assistants, Deadline five pm on Sunday sixteenth of March

08/03/2025

Join us next week for an all NEW look at our museum collection 🥳

Our manager and curator Faye Morrissey will guide you through our storeroom, taking in incredible artefacts from 's history 📚

Tickets are £12 per person, book here: https://tinyurl.com/24525s9m

Image description: A large, wide, wooden cabinet divided into drawers in the Armitt storeroom. In the bottom left corner, blue text on a brown folder reads: Behind the Scenes at The Armitt, Explore the Storeroom, Sat fifteenth of March, two to three pm. In the top left corner, white text on a blue circle reads: Twelve pounds per person. To the right is the white Armitt logo

06/03/2025

This week's Art UK is for... us!

To celebrate this year's exhibition on the , the theme is historical conflicts - we've picked Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini's Caesar Before Alexandria (c.1720-1730) ⚔️

A Battle of Ambleside is at The Armitt until mid-December this year 🏺

Credit: Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (UK)

Image description: An eighteenth century oil painting of Julius Caesar being confronted with the death of Pompey. Caesar is on the left, an imposing figure in a red toga and Roman helmet, his hand gesturing upwards as though recoiling in horror. To his right, two men in Roman dress explain the situation, one holding up Pompey's pale co**se by the shoulders while the other shows Pompey's ring to Caesar as proof his identity

03/03/2025

We're welcoming March with a new - an appeal from the Lake District Defence Society from March 1887 💧

What were they fundraising for? And do you recognise any of the members' names? Find out more here: https://tinyurl.com/yk259shm

Image description: A close up of a letter of appeal by the Lake District Defence Society from eighteen eighty seven. The committee is listed, including H D Rawnsley, Gordon Wordsworth and W H Hillis

02/03/2025

Spring is officially here, and our second pick is a lesser known work by a famous Lakeland writer - The Fairy Caravan (1929) by 🐴🌿

A chapter book written for older children, we follow Tuppenny the guinea pig and his friends in the travelling circus, as they roam the countryside performing for the animals of the farms and fields. They share many magical adventures along the way, such as the day Paddy Pig gets lost in the enchanted woods...

"But still in the broad green lonnin going up to the intake, I can trace my pony's fairy footsteps, and hear her eager neighing. I can hear the rattle of the tilt-cart's wheels, and the music of the Fairy Caravan." - Beatrix Potter, The Fairy Caravan (1929)

Don't miss our exhibition The Armitt Explores... Beatrix Potter - book tickets in advance here: https://tinyurl.com/25u3dmdj

Thanks to our supporters:
Chris Butterfield Alfred Wainwright
David Snowdon Trust
The Hadfield Trust
The University of Edinburgh
The Trimontium Trust & Museum
Cumbria Past
Craghoppers
Cunningham's Outdoors

Image description: Esthwaite Water on a sunny day. The still lake reflects the blue sky above, with purple flowers tinting the field at the head of the lake. The blue Armitt logo is in the top right corner. To the left is the cover of The Fairy Caravan by Beatrix Potter, showing her illustration of a cat asleep in bed while little mice sneak into her room. To the right, black text in a blue lake shape reads: hashtag Lakes Lit

01/03/2025

As you've explored our museum, have you ever wondered what treasures we have stashed away in our storeroom?

Join us on Saturday 15th March for a look at The Armitt's collection, with our manager and curator Faye Morrissey as your guide 🔍

Tickets are £12 per person, book here: https://tinyurl.com/24525s9m

Image description: A photo of the shelves in The Armitt archive, laden with boxes of varying sizes and colours. Blue text on a brown folder in the bottom left corner reads: Behind the Scenes at The Armitt, Explore the Storeroom, Sat fifteenth of March, two to three pm. In the top left corner, white text on a blue circle reads: Twelve pounds per person. The white Armitt logo is in the top right corner

28/02/2025

If you're finding our exhibition A Battle of Ambleside an illuminating experience, it could be because of our NEW lighting in the first gallery!

Many thanks to the David Snowdon Trust and Museum Development North for funding this lighting upgrade ✨ And to Lumenata Lighting Designs and Swift Electrical Solutions as our supplier/installer. Always a great job 👍.

Don't miss our 2025 exhibitions on Beatrix Potter, the Ambleside Roman Fort and Alfred Wainwright 🏺🍄🥾

Image descriptions:
Photo 1: The new overhead lighting in the second gallery of The Armitt museum, currently the home of the exhibition A Battle of Ambleside. Small lamps on adjustable stands twinkle above the exhibition displays.
Photo 3: The lighting above two glass display cases, which contain archaeological artefacts. The cases are lit from within as well.
Photo 3: Another view of the lighting set up, with the large Roman gravestone from The Armitt's collection in the centre of the picture

25/02/2025

is almost here, and we're kicking off our events calendar in March!

Don't miss our upcoming events:
🔍Behind the Scenes at The Armitt with our manager & curator Faye Morrissey
✒️The Life and Work of TW Thompson with Mike Green
🥾 Revealed with Richard Else

Book your tickets here TODAY: https://tinyurl.com/mujbnd3u

Image description: Against a dark blue background and under the yellow Armitt logo, yellow text reads: March twenty twenty five events. Next to a photo of shelves in the Armitt storeroom, yellow text reads: Saturday fifteenth, two to three pm, Behind the scenes at The Armitt, Explore the storeroom with manager and curator Faye Morrissey. To the right of a sepia image of TW Thompson in a library, yellow text reads: Tuesday twenty fifth, two to three thirty pm, Armitt Talk Series, the life and underrated work of T W Thompson by Mike Green. Next to a photo of Richard Else, yellow text reads: Friday twenty eighth, five thirty to seven pm, Richard Else, Wainwright revealed. There is a red Sold Out notice over the text on the right hand side

21/02/2025

Are you a fan of literature and the Lakes? Enjoy our new series of book recommendations, 📚💧

We're kicking off the year with 's first Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells: The Eastern Fells (1955). The first entry in the beloved thirteen volume series of Cumbrian guide books, The Eastern Fells covers two of our favourite valleys, Grasmere and Patterdale.

"Old maps are old friends, understood only by the man with whom they have travelled the miles." - Arthur Wainwright

Don't miss our exhibition, book museum tickets in advance here: https://tinyurl.com/mujbnd3u

Thanks to our supporters:
Chris Butterfield Alfred Wainwright
David Snowdon Trust
The Hadfield Trust
The University of Edinburgh
The Trimontium Trust & Museum
Cumbria Past
Craghoppers
Cunningham's Outdoors

Image description: A photo of Innominate Tarn on Haystacks Fell in Cumbria. The sky is lilac in the dusk light and the water is still. The blue Armitt logo is in the top right corner. To the left is the cover of The Eastern Fells by Wainwright, with an illustration of Striding Edge on Helvellyn on the front. To the right, black text on a blue lake reads: hashtag Lakes Lit

19/02/2025

📣 JOBS AT THE ARMITT: 2 Museum Assistants 📣

Looking for a job in the Lake District? Passionate about preserving local history? The Armitt is looking for two new people to join its team and support the future plans and activities of the museum and library.

We need two part-time Museum Assistants:
- Marketing & Content
- Documentation & Collections

Could this be you? Email [email protected] with your CV and a cover letter by 5pm on Sunday 16th March, to join our team!

More info here: https://www.armitt.com/get-involved/ #

Image description: A group of people gathered around a wooden table and chairs in The Armitt library, admiring a selection of Beatrix Potter's fungi watercolours. The watercolours are in white cardboard frames and show a variety of mushrooms in scientific detail. Blue text on brown paper under the blue Armitt logo reads: Job opportunties, Two museum assistants, deadline five pm on Sunday sixteenth March

18/02/2025

Did you see our feature on ITV Border News yesterday? Don't worry if not, you can watch the clip here: https://tinyurl.com/5fk8rjar and then hopefully it will entice you to visit us soon.

Watch the latest from ITV News - Never-before-seen treasures of Alfred Wainwright are on show in the Lake District - offering an insight into the walker and author behind the celebrated books.

17/02/2025

Could you live like a ? Visit us this to see our new exhibition, A Battle of Ambleside, and find out what life in Roman was like!
Thanks to:
The Trimontium Trust & Museum
The University of Edinburgh
David Snowden Trust
The Hadfield Trust
Cumbria Past

14/02/2025

This we're feeling the love as we reopened this week - thank you to our staff, trustees, volunteers, supporters and everyone who contributed to our 2025 exhibitions. It was a pleasure to see you on Monday for the exhibition launch, we couldn't have done this without you!

Thanks to our supporters:
Chris Butterfield Wainwright
David Snowdon Trust
The Hadfield Trust
The University of Edinburgh
The Trimontium Trust & Museum
Cumbria Past
Craghoppers
Cunningham's Outdoors

Image descriptions:
Photo 1: Chris Butterfield posing with the introductory panel of The Armitt's Alfred Wainwright exhibition. Chris is a white man with dark hair, wearing a black button up shirt and holding a wine glass in his left hand. He stands in the exhibition, gesturing to the panel with his right hand. The panel has a large photo of wainwright with white text below. In the background, people explore the exhibition.
Photo 2: Chris Butterfield shows a visitor the negatives of one of Wainwright's books, on display in the museum. Chris points to the negative, mid-conversation, lit from below by a display case.
Photo 3: Several people looking around the Wainwright exhibition, including a young boy looking at the bookshelf of his work
Photo 4: People stand in small groups, chatting to each other in The Armitt's A Battle of Ambleside Exhibition. There are two glass display cases with a model of the fort in the middle, with a table with drinks and snacks set up in front of them

12/02/2025

We're so honoured to have Chris's collection on display - don't miss it!

The banner for new 2025 exhibitions has been unveiled at The Armitt : Museum, Gallery, Library, and the museum opens to the public at 10:30am tomorrow 😊

03/02/2025

February's is this piece of pottery from the 🏺

What item is this sherd from? And what was it used for? Find out on our website: https://tinyurl.com/3pjxuwvz

Don't miss our NEW exhibition opening this month on the fort, ⚔

Image description: A close up of a piece of pottery, excavated from the Ambleside Roman Fort in Cumbria. The pottery is orangey red in colour, with tiny bubbles on its surface. It is photographed from above against a grey background

29/01/2025

📣 REOPENING IN TWO WEEKS 📣

Only two weeks to go until we reopen on Wednesday 12th February at 10:30am 🥳

Don't miss our NEW exhibitions on:
🍄 The Armitt Explores... Beatrix Potter
⚔ A Battle of Ambleside
🥾 Alfred Wainwright

With thanks to our supporters:
Chris Butterfield Alfred Wainwright
David Snowdon Trust
The Hadfield Trust
The University of Edinburgh
The Trimontium Trust & Museum
Cumbria Past
Craghoppers
Cunningham's Outdoors

Image descriptions:
Photo 1: The entrance to The Armitt, on a sunny day. Blue sky can be glimpsed through the branches of the yew tree over the museum sign. At the top of the image, a rectangular door sign reads: Open Wed twelfth of Feb, ten thirty am
Photo 2: A black and white photo of Alfred Wainwright in his study. Wainwright is an older white man with white hair and impressive sideburns. He wears glasses, a white checked shirt and a light coloured cardigan with leather elbow patches, and he has a pipe in between his teeth. He sits at a desk covered in artist's materials, concentrating hard on inking a line drawing of Striding Edge
Photo 3: A group of members of the Trimontium Trust and the University of Edinburgh, studying the site of the Ambleside Roman fort in twenty twenty three. The image shows six people in casual outdoor workwear at Waterhead on sunny day. Three of them are holding metal detectors, and all appear to be in discussion. Clouds scud across the blue sky overhead
Photo 4: A black white photo of Rupert, Beatrix and Bertram Potter at Lennel, Coldstream, in Scotland. The photo was taken in eighteen ninety four. On the left, Rupert Potter is stood on the left hand side of a large door frame. He is an older man with white hair and muttonchops, in a dark three piece suit. In the middle, Beatrix Potter is seated in the doorway. She is a young woman in her late twenties, with brown hair done up in a bun and a slight smile on her face. She wears a dark blouse with voluminous sleeves and a light coloured skirt. To the right, Bertram Potter stands against the door frame. He is a young man in his twenties with short dark hair and a moustache. He wears a dark belted jacket and light coloured trousers. Both men look at the camera, while Beatrix looks off to the left