UNCOVERING the stories behind the collections is all part of the celebrations for the 130th anniversary of the award winning Haslemere Museum this year. 

Set in beautiful historic grounds, in the heart of the town, the rich and diverse collections have been inspiring visitors since it opened in 1888.

To celebrate this milestone, the museum is hosting a special summer exhibition uncovering the fascinating stories behind some of the collectors who gifted their wonderful treasures to the museum.

It is a unique opportunity to see rarely displayed artefacts, and learn how they became part of the museum’s remarkable collections.

Highlights include ancient Egyptian artefacts collected by the late Victorian artist and Egyptologist Walter Tyndale, who was one of the most popular and influential topographical water colourists working at the turn of the century. 

The exhibition will also feature a variety of worldwide marine, land, and freshwater shells which were bequeathed to the museum by Robert Henson Moses. 

There will also be beautiful butterflies and moths to marvel at from Rupert Long, who amassed an extraordinary collection of more than 7,000 butterflies between 1922 and 1959, mainly from Southern England.

Visitors can also expect to see a magnificent display of birds donated by Dr Herbert French prepared by taxidermists TE Gunn and F Ernest Gunn and preserved in stunning Edwardian style cases. 

The Horsnaill collection recently donated to the museum contains beautiful household accessories and items of clothing and on display for visitors will be a wonderful selection of Eastern European textiles to admire.

Haslemere Museum was founded by Sir Jonathan Hutchinson, an eminent London surgeon, who set up a country home on the edge of town. 

He had a passion for collecting objects and built up an extraordinary collection of artefacts, purchased at auction and on overseas travel, which he originally displayed in the grounds of his home. 

Visitors were welcome by appointment to view Sir Jonathan’s collection of rocks, shells and wildlife specimens and his Sunday afternoon tours became so popular, that he had to expand and by 1895 had moved his museum into the town.

Now 130 years on, Haslemere Museum is one of the largest museums in South East England and the collections are a rich resource of local, national and international heritage. 

Museum curator Julia Tanner said: “There is so much to celebrate. Our collections remain at the heart of the museum and every year thousands of visitors come to learn, enjoy and be inspired.

“We are delighted to be hosting this exhibition in our 130th anniversary year and the exhibition aims to tell the remarkable stories of how some of the collectors and their wonderful treasures have helped to shape our unique Museum.”

•To keep up to date and the first to find out what special celebrations are planned, visit www.haslemeremuseum.co.uk.