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A corridor in an exhibition space with wooden flooring, light pink walls and low wire barriers in front of the walls on each side. Paintings in ornate carved, wooden frames hung along each wall and spotlights run along the ceiling.
A corridor in an exhibition space with wooden flooring, light pink walls and low wire barriers in front of the walls on each side. Paintings in ornate carved, wooden frames hung along each wall and spotlights run along the ceiling.

Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens’ Collection

The first private museum in Sunderland began collecting in 1810. 36 supporters gifted to the collection. These gifts were mostly natural history objects, such as specimens of birds and mammals, seashells and fossils.  

The first public-funded Museum was established in Sunderland in 1846. It was the first of its kind in the UK, outside of London. It took over the collections of the private museum and began to expand. 

Today, Sunderland Museum’s collection holds over 108,000 objects. It is split into five subject areas: Fine & Decorative Art, History, Archaeology, Ethnography, Natural Sciences. 

Some areas of the collections are designated. This means that they are recognised by the Museums Association as being of national importance. The fine and decorative art, science & industry, maritime and natural sciences collections are all designated 

The museum has many unique artefacts, including many type specimens and the only UK example of the fossil gliding reptile Coelurosauvarus. 

The museum continues to add to its collections and acquires items through donations, commissions and purchases. 

Dockside, Sunderland, 1962 by L.S Lowry. A painting of boats in a marina. The colours are dark and mute, charcoal greys, black and dark reds.
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A child poses next to a display cabinet that holds a large stuffed lion.
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A large, towering silver sculpture with water flowing down it. It is surrounded by a winding metal staircase and green foliage.
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A large glass cabinet that is painted red inside with red shelves. On the shelves are lots of old glass. Jugs, decanters, cups, plates, chalices and pots with different textures and patterns. Above the display is black text that reads ‘Londonderry Glass’. Underneath the display is a panel of information with pictures, drawings and paragraphs of black text.
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An old diving suit stood up in a glass cabinet with a brass helmet and lots of repair patches across the body and legs. The cabinet stands in the middle of a purple wall with other exhibits on display and text on the walls.
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Object of the Month

Explore items in the Museum collection with Object of the Month delivered in partnership with Sunderland Heritage.

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A close-up of a small scientific instrument inside a rectangular wooden box with glass sides. The brass-coloured device includes a cylindrical piece of paper with a handwritten chart, and a lever-like mechanism that records measurements. The box has a dark metal handle on top.

A Barograph? Maybe not...

Collections Assistant Sean Taylor examines a Mid-Century cased device and discovers a box of surprises.

Hit the link below to read the full article on Sunderland Heritage Partnership website.

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A close-up of several dark wooden drawers from an old apothecary chest. The drawers hold various pharmacy papers, labels, and small jars. Labels visible include

Harmful or Helpful: Victorian Medicines

Collections Assistant Rebecca Stonehouse examines vials, tins and apothecary draws to reveal the characteristics, uses and dangers of Victorian and Edwardian-era medicines.

Hit the link below to read the full article on Sunderland Heritage Partnership website.

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A brown clay carving shows a small face in the middle of curved, fan-like shapes. Below the face, the letters

Brennius Hortius Caeser presents The Roman Antefix

Collections Assistant Tony Drake (aka Brennius Hortius Caeser) looks at a Roman antefix – a type of decorative roof tile.

Hit the link below to watch the video and read the full article on Sunderland Heritage Partnership website.

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A person wearing gloves and a white shirt carefully handles a preserved bird specimen from a green storage crate lined with tissue paper. The scene appears to take place in a museum or archive setting, suggesting the handling of natural history collections.

About Object of the Month

The Object of the Month series is produced in partnership with Sunderland Heritage, part of the collections project made possible by the Museum Renewal Fund grant awarded through Arts Council England.

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