Wellcome Trust supports a new direction at the Museum of English Rural Life

Thursday, 07 May 2015

The Wellcome Trust has awarded the Museum of English Rural Life £385,277 for its project, ‘Our Country Lives: Nutrition, Health and Rural England'.

This significant grant will support the Museum's current Heritage Lottery funded redevelopment but also represents an exciting new direction, introducing new themes and interactive opportunities connected to animal health, human nutrition and rural healthcare. For the very first time the Museum will be able to explore the extraordinary links between science and the countryside, connecting these vital topics to its diverse and surprising collections.

Additional staffing and a panel of specialist advisors and bio-medical experts, including many from key departments at the University, will help the Museum to deliver a dynamic and diverse programme of science engagement, including online content, hands-on experiences and artistic responses.

This project will transform the Museum from a site of agricultural heritage into a centre that engages the public in the science behind some of the biggest challenges of the 21st century such as food security and human nutrition. The latest research will be linked to the Museums' historic collections to provide a unique perspective on current issues.

The project connects to the University's major new research themes and in particular to ‘Food', ‘Health', and ‘Heritage Creativity and Values,' demonstrating the potential for interdisciplinary and cross-departmental collaboration to deliver exciting new departures. The scheme will also provide students with opportunities to gain experience of public engagement, and related programming will support Widening Participation.

Staff are invited to find out more at an event on Tuesday May 19 at 1pm at the Museum of English Rural Life on Redlands Road.