The Pack Up Underway
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10 August 2020

​Since 16 March when the museum closed its doors to the public, volunteers have been packing up the collection in preparation to vacate the premises to make way for the new Hub facility development. The once full display cabinets are now empty, and the corners filled with moving boxes.

John Greenwood, the museum's new vice-president, has expertise as a conservator for museum collections. He conducted a series of training sessions for volunteers involved in the delicate process of packaging and boxing the museum collection which consists of a wide variety of items such as historical artefacts, textiles, documents, books, and photographs. 

The added complication of the current Covid-19 environment has changed​ the process that was originally planned. There are increased hygiene ​protocols that are undertaken by the taskforce of over 23 volunteers which is strictly monitored. Smaller groups are allowed onto the premises at a time and all are required to wear face masks.

The pack up is only the start of the process however, with moving the collection into a temporary location before it will be once again on display for visitors to see in early 2022, at its new home in the Hub.