Museum Collections & The Climate Crisis
In a new series of blogs to mark the start of the United Nations COP27 Climate Negotiations, you can discover how Chippenham Museum has been exploring the climate crisis locally, with the help of local young people, through its project ‘Our Landscape’.
In 2019 Chippenham Town Council declared a ‘Climate Change Emergency’ and has committed to exploring ways to contribute towards tackling climate change on a local level. In 2021 it extended this by declaring an ‘Ecological Emergency’ as well.
As part of the Town Council, Chippenham Museum is making positive changes to the way it works, exploring sustainable solutions for the care and display of our collection to reduce our carbon footprint.
At the beginning of the year the museum was awarded a Green Grant by South West Museum Development with thanks to funding from Arts Council England, for the project ‘Our Landscape’.
This project used the museum’s collection to put the climate crisis into a local context, using the past to inform the present and support communities to find solutions for a sustainable future.
The project was launched in July with the help of students from the museums local secondary schools, Hardenhuish and Abbeyfield. The students worked together to research groups of objects and explore what stories they told about our changing attitudes towards, and awareness of, environmental issues.
The results were used to create displays across the museum which were launched for the October half-term and will be on display until the end of the year. Each display uses a group of objects to discuss different environmental issues from local industry to fast fashion, and alternative lifestyles to recycling, each posing a question to start discussions with our visitors about the climate crisis. A space to answer these questions, try climate themed activities, read more and join the conversation has also been created.
Family activities with an environmental twist were also run during the half term. Visitors could decorate paper frames and create scrap monsters using left over materials from previous workshops, with the final product being fully recyclable.
Now to coincide with the first day of the United Nation’s COP27 Climate Negotiations in Egypt, we launch a series of blogs to share more from this project with our community.
Join us over the next two weeks to discover how objects in our collection can start wider discussions around fast fashion, reusable materials, and how art can be used to raise awareness of the climate crisis.
This project is just the first steps in the museum goal to reduce its environmental impact and to help the community engage with the climate crisis in a positive and meaningful way.
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Within Chippenham, there are several areas of grassland that are managed by the Environmental Services Team to encourage wildlife and bio-diversity.
Mid-to-late July is the ideal time of year to begin cutting these areas; this approach replicates traditional hay cutting practices on species-rich grassland. Many grassland plants have naturally adapted to this management method, which helps maintain and improve bio-diversity.
Over the coming weeks you will see our Environmental Services Team out cutting the grass in these areas to support wildlife and ecology. Due care and attention to wildlife will be taken prior to cutting.
Within these areas, sections of the grass have been identified as ideal conditions for encouraging wildflower growth. These areas will be cut and arisings removed, as wildflowers need low-nutrient soil.
Leaving the grass cuttings in situ feeds the soil and makes the grass grow more vigorously. By removing the cuttings, the right conditions are gradually created for wildflowers to outcompete the grasses and become established over time.
A map of the Town Council’s Wildlife Areas can be seen here - bit.ly/Wildlife_areas
The Battle of Chippenham Re-enactment has come to an end for 2026.
Thank you to everyone who visited over the weekend and helped make the event such a success.
A special thank you goes to the re-enactors from The English Civil War Society, all traders, My Skills For Life Ltd, Chippenham Police and event staff whose hard work made the weekend possible.
We hope you've enjoyed your journey back to 1643.
The soldiers’ sultry is being prepared and the cannon crews are getting ready for their display in Monkton Park, where visitors can learn about the role of artillery during the Civil War and experience the thunder of a live firing demonstration.
Now would be a great time to visit the traders too, to grab something tasty to eat and drink before the final shows.
Then it's time to get ready for the final displays of the weekend. At 2.50pm, witness the Ambush at Chippenham as the Roundheads pursue Hopton's retreating Royalist army.
At 3pm, battle is joined as infantry, cavalry and cannon clash in the spectacular Battle of Chippenham re-enactment.
Make your way to Monkton Park and experience the sights, sounds and excitement of the English Civil War.