Tourism experts impressed by three county museums

THREE of Leicestershire’s most popular museums have been given top marks by national tourism body Visit England.

Charnwood, Harborough and Melton Carnegie museums all bettered their already high scores from the last time they were inspected in 2019. All three are run by Leicestershire County Council – with Charnwood being run in partnership with Charnwood Borough Council.

Melton Carnegie Museum scored an impressive 88 per cent, up from 82 per cent in 2019.

The inspector’s report said: “First impressions of the magnificent building continue to be excellent, with the well-kept flowerbeds that included pumpkins to delight children during the October half term.

“Visitors are greeted immediately on arrival and all the relevant information about the museum was provided by friendly and helpful staff.”

Other areas singled out for praise and rated excellent included the overall cleanliness of the museum, the multi-sensory children’s trail and the presentation and interpretation of the displays.

Charnwood Museum was given a score of 82 per cent, an increase on the 80 per cent it received two years ago.

The report said: “Among a set of consistently good scores, the stronger aspects noted during this assessment were the overall cleanliness of the museum and facilities, the welcome and performance of the reception staff, the quality and maintenance of the gallery displays and the attractive museum shop.

“The range of content is impressive, encompassing much of local interest to a wide range of audiences and ages, with the temporary Market 800 exhibition being a particularly interesting and engaging feature.”

Harborough Museum scored 74 per cent, up from 72 per cent in 2019. The inspector singled out the ‘exemplary’ standards of cleanliness, impressive range of content, well-presented displays and the knowledgeable team of staff for particular praise.

Councillor Christine Radford, cabinet member for heritage, leisure and arts, said: “Our three market town museums are gems, which perfectly showcase the history and heritage of the communities they serve. I am delighted that the hard work of staff and volunteers has been recognised by Visit England.”