Lapworth Museum of Geology

Lapworth Museum of Geology

Established	1880
Type	Geological Museum
Director	Jon Clatworthy
Website	http://www.lapworth.bham.ac.uk/

The Lapworth Museum of Geology is a major geological museum run by the University of Birmingham and located on the University's campus in Edgbaston, south Birmingham, England. Named after the important geologist Charles Lapworth, the origins of the Museum date to 1880, and it reopened in 2016 following a £2.7 million redevelopment project that created new galleries and displays, as well as new visitor and educational facilities. The Lapworth Museum is free to visit, and its galleries are aimed at appealing to a broad range of audiences, from families and children to undergraduate students and specialist geology groups. The galleries use the Lapworth's collections to tell the story of the evolution of life and the planet over 4.5 billion years of Earth history, with a particular focus on how the environment, climate, plants and animals of the English Midlands have changed over time. The Lapworth's collection includes more than 250,000 specimens of fossils, rocks and minerals that are of international scientific significance, as well as an important archive that documents key scientific discoveries and important historical geologists.

History

Exhibition hall of the Lapworth Museum of Geology, c. 1930.

The Lapworth Museum is located within one of the wings of the Grade II* listed Aston Webb Building on the main campus of the University of Birmingham. The Aston Webb Building was designed by the architects Sir Aston Webb and Ingress Bell, and it retains many of its original Edwardian features. The Lapworth has occupied its current space from at least the 1920s, but the history of the Museum dates back to 1880 and the foundation of Mason College, the forerunner of the University of Birmingham. The Museum is named after Professor Charles Lapworth, an English geologist who was the first Professor of Geology at the University, and a key figure in 19th century geological science. The Museum collections provide an invaluable teaching aid for the University of Birmingham's geology students, and are the subject of active research by palaeontologists, geologists, archaeologists and historians from the University of Birmingham and internationally.

Charles Lapworth, first Professor of Geology at the University of Birmingham, after whom the Lapworth Museum is named.

Collections and archive

The Museum collection contains over 250,000 specimens of fossils, rocks and minerals, as well as geological maps, equipment, models, and photographic material, and also zoological specimens and stone axes. Also housed in the Museum is the Lapworth Archive, a detailed and extensive archive of Charles Lapworth's work that represents one of the most complete archives of any 19th century geologist, as well as important archives relating to other significant 19th and 20th century geologists such as Professor L. J. Wills and Professor Fred Shotton. In 2008 the entire collection of the Lapworth was officially designated as of outstanding national and international importance by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, and subsequently by Arts Council England. The Lapworth is also accredited by Arts Council England.

Palaeontological collections

The strengths of the palaeontological collections reflect the geology of the local region, as well as the research interests of past and present University of Birmingham palaeontologists. Among the collections is Wenlock Limestone of the Wenlock Group from Dudley including fossils dating to 420 million years. Solnholfen Limestone from Germany are also on show to the public which includes fish, dragonflies, crabs, lobsters and pterosaurs. Within the fish collections are fish from Brazil, Italy, Lebanon and United States. Samples from the Burgess Shale of British Columbia consist of 510 million year old animals.

Specimen of the extinct trigonotarbid Eophrynus prestvicii held at the museum (A – dorsal view, B – ventral view)

Many specimens that are taken from the UK were from old coal mining fields where minerals were accessed. As a result of this collection, there are over 15,000 minerals documented. Minerals from the collection of William Murdoch, an engineer who worked at Soho House with James Watt and Matthew Boulton.

In 2009, the earth science collection of the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery was relocated to the Lapworth Museum as a long term loan.

Redevelopment project

The Lapworth Museum closed to visitors in December 2014 for a £2.7m redevelopment project. The aims of this project were to completely redevelop and expand the galleries and displays, making them more accessible and appealing to a broader audience, add key visitor and educational facilities that were previously missing (e.g. Education Room, reception desk, shop, cafe, toilets), make all Museum spaces fully accessible, and upgrade the Museum collections storage facilities. Funding for the redevelopment came from a major Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £1.693m, as well as from University of Birmingham alumni through the Circles of Influence campaign, and grants from Arts Council England and DCMS Wolfson.

The redevelopment project was delivered by Lapworth Museum and University of Birmingham staff and volunteers, in collaboration with external partners including Associated Architects, Real Studios (exhibition design), The Hub (exhibition fit-out) and Squint/Opera (AV design).

The Museum was reopened in June 2016 by Sir Paul Nurse, the Nobel Prize winner and former President of the Royal Society, Professor David Eastwood, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, and Professor Alice Roberts, the University's Professor of Public Understanding of Science.

Events and educational activities

The popular Lapworth Lecture Series are open to the public every other Monday, at 5pm, during term time. Refer to the Lapworth Museum website for a full list of guest speakers and dates.

The museum is regularly used by schools, colleges and adult education groups as a teaching aid. Talks, hands on sessions and even "behind the scenes" tours can be arranged for visiting groups wishing to learn more about natural history.

The museum runs events at the University's annual community day each year. Visitors can expect to see activities for all the family such as gold panning and volcano building as well as a stall where visitors can bring fossil and rock specimens for identification. Refer to the University of Birmingham website for details of the next community day.

Opening hours

Monday - Friday 10.00 to 17.00
Saturday & Sunday 12.00 to 17.00
Closed on bank holidays

Admission is free

External links

• Lapworth Museum of Geology website
• Birmingham Heritage
• University of Birmingham page
• Birmingham UK.com
• National Archives
• University of Birmingham Community Day