Museum’s famous collection in spotlight at conference

Blackburn will host a national conference focusing on the manuscript and coin collection at Blackburn Museum.

The conference, ‘Something for my native town’, takes place at Blackburn College, on Friday, November 10^th, from 4pm to 6.30pm. There will be a chance for attendees to take a look at the unique collection.

The collection was gifted by industrialist Robert Edward Hart in 1946 and is one of the museum’s most well-known displays.

For the last three years, Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery has had an academic partnership with Dr Cynthia Johnston and the Institute of English Studies, School of Advanced Studies at the University of London.

The University of London is hosting the conference in Blackburn at the University Centre at Blackburn College.

Speakers include Professor Nigel Morgan, University of Cambridge, Dr. Scot McKendrick of the British Library, Dr. Catherine Yvard, Victoria and Albert Museum, Dr. Rebecca Darley, Berkbeck College at University of London, and Professor David McKitterick, author of ‘Collecting – for whom?’.

Delegate tickets are just £15 and £10 for concessions (retired/student/unwaged). The programme can be viewed and tickets can be booked via School of Advanced Study website.

Damian Talbot, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Young People, said:

The coin and manuscript collection is one of the most well-known of all assets at Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery and has always been of interest to people across the board, so it’s no surprise that it is the subject of this event.

I hope anyone who is interested will come along to what will be a fascinating discussion and a chance to see the fantastic manuscripts and coins for yourself.”