Accessing Collections

Temporary Changes to Enquiry, Research and Acquisition Services

The Alfred Gillett Trust is creating the Shoemakers Museum, a new venue to be opened in 2025 at The Grange in Street, Somerset. The new museum will include three state of the art new galleries, telling the stories of the origins shoemaking in Street and the social and industrial history stories which often led the changes. The Trust’s ichthyosaur fossil collection will also go on permanent display in our historic Barn.

While this work is ongoing the Trust has paused its collection enquiries and reading room (research) services. This will allow our small team to develop and prioritise the stories, content and delivery of the new museum. We hope to resume normal enquiry and research services closer to the museum completion date in 2025. The Trust will not keep a record of any enquiries received during the closure period, and we ask researchers to make contact again once the services resume.

As we focus our resources on the museum project we are also closed to new offers of donation. The Trust will only be accepting new objects into the collection in very exceptional cases, or in line with collecting for the new museum project. Details of collecting for the new museum will be published on our website and social media.

We understand the closure of these services may be unwelcome news, however it is necessary to ensure that we can deliver a brand-new museum and improved offer. We will review the situation as we work through the project, and will reopen these services as soon as we are able to do so. We look forward to welcoming you to our new museum in 2025!

Please note if you have a project you would like to collaborate on with us, please do get in touch and we will explore this with you on a case by case basis.

Reproductions

The Trust also provides a reproduction and digitisation service offering physical and digital copies of objects and archives held in the collection. Items can be digitally photographed or scanned using archival standard equipment by professional photographers in the in-house studio. High-quality digital images can be provided in a range of file formats and resolutions to suit the nature of the request.

Loans

In recent years, the Trust has lent items from its collections to other museums for exhibition, engaging with new narratives and wider audiences. Further information about the standard terms under which the Trust lends collections can be found in our Loans Policy.

Downloads

Save