Weston Park Museum's 150th Birthday Party

Welcome back to the History Nook.

Today we're going to take a look at the shenanigans I got up to at the weekend!

So grab your favourite mug, find a soft space to curl up, and let’s wander a little deeper into the past. On Saturday September the 6th I celebrated the 150th birthday party for Weston Park Museum. I have been volunteering at Weston Park since 2016, I took on various roles, but the one I enjoyed the most was object handling. I’d go into the Museum each weekend and let visitors get hands on with some of the museum objects, and I often did it in costume!

One of my favourite objects to use was the replica Anglo-Saxon sword. (Personally, I think it is a Viking sword, but I value my life too much to argue with curators.) Today, I got a chance to reprise my role, walking around in my Viking kit and carrying my beloved Bertha. Yes… I named the sword Bertha.

As I sit in the hotel writing this, my feet are covered in blisters, my body is sore, and my head is pounding, but it has been one of the best days I’ve had in a long time. There were so many of those small moments that make days wonderful. An elderly gentleman saying “I’m being bullied by a woman with a sword,” was one of the funniest moments. Chatting about the Benty Grange helmet made my little historian's heart sing, and chasing many children with my sword brought a lot of laughter for myself and visitors to the museum.

Other antics included me trying to steal a spoon, knocking peoples party hats askew with my sword, many attempts at pillaging, and gently moving a few signs - just gentle Viking chaos. Oh, and some very historically inaccurate ice cream, though I’m fairly certain the Vikings would have loved ice cream.

I also got to share all of this with my best friend. What more can a girl ask for? Oh yeah, some lovely gift shop finds! I had to treat us both to a couple of treasures. These included a little triceratops plushie for Endy, a couple of pieces of 150th birthday merch, and a gorgeous blue glass vase.

Afterwards we went for a meal with two of my old friends and nipped into an alternative fashion shop in Sheffield that I used to frequent in my younger days. It’s been over a decade since I stepped foot in there, but one of the members of staff remembered me. That was both delightful and a little weird.

Now, if you will excuse me, I’m going to curl up in bed and try not to fall asleep too early. Tomorrow will be another day and another museum, and I can already feel my fibro waging war on my body.

Thank you for reading—I hope you enjoyed your time in the History Nook today. Until next time: stay curious, and keep warm.

🐾 A Footnote from Index: 🐾

My human did not buy me anything, I am displeased.