Amberley Museum
@amberleymuseum
Travel back in time and explore the South’s working past in the heart of the South Downs National Park.
We took an almost arty photo! We can never get enough of our own in-house roof tiles. These were made by the company that used to own the site when we were a Proper Business, called Pepper & Sons. The tiles are made of concrete and interlock apart from the ones in the middle which are made of glass.
Tell me that you work at an industrial museum without telling me that you work at an industrial museum... Sound up!
Some of you may remember Sir Clive Sinclair, who invented both the ZX81 computer and the C5 tricycle. Today would have been his 86th birthday, had he not died in 2021. We will have our C5 out and running about this weekend for our Retro Wheels days!
Look! Look! The ground is wet! It's been raining! 😱💦🎉🌧️ We're not overreacting, are we?
Apparently, it's International Red Shoes Day, which is all about invisible diseases and illnesses. We therefore have to ask if sandals count? Like many museums, we welcome visitors, staff and volunteers with a variety of conditions, all of whom are valued!
Today is National Rat Catchers' Day. Anyone who knows us will realise that we have a bit of an issue with this, as these rodents have been our constant companions (on purpose) for many years. Fortunately, it's actually about the Pied Piper of Hamelin which as ex-teachers, we think is marvellous. 😘
Most of our brollies are in use as parasols at the moment. Your umbrella stand is rather classier than ours, though! (Note unintentional drainage holes)
Thought you'd like to see this. It's a mould for making musket balls out of lead. Dates from about the 1850s!
We met this shrew asleep in the middle of the path and 'persuaded' her to move to the undergrowth at the side. She was not happy.
This is Nicola Tesla. Today is his 180th birthday. He was a true genius who researched AC current and its uses, amongst other things, and made the modern world possible. Without him, we would be a bit short of exhibits.
Today is World Chocolate Day as it's the anniversary of when chocolate was introduced to Europe. Fortunately, it's also Global Forgiveness Day, so you don't have to feel guilty about how much you eat.
We all know that buildings have birthdays. This is the rather gorgeous Billingshurst Signal Box, which celebrates its 150th birthday this year. Even to the extent that a special beer has been brewed and will be available for tasting at our Rail Gala on 18 & 19 July! #signalbox #celebration
Far off in the distance is Bury Hill. On 24th August 2012, a passing van driver claimed to have seen a UFO here, described as a ball of intense white light. As it's #worldUFODay we thought you'd like to know about it.
Today is Industrial Workers of the World Day, which is gloriously appropriate for us. We feel Karl Marx would have approved.
It's National Bakewell Tart Day today. We just thought you needed to know.
#internationalmuseumsweekend is all about short wave radio and museums talking to each other across the world. Our amateur station GB2CPM is up and running, listening out for others to talk to!
We thought we'd join in with #fingerpostfriday! A real post but with Museum-added fingers!
This robin visited our Connected Earth exhibit today, which is all about communication. Do you think he's trying to blend in or tell us something?
#AdoorableThursday The doors to Humphrey's Barn. Mr Humphrey built this in about 1790, when he was operating a small chalk-extracting business from our site. This was before Pepper and Sons took it over and made the quarry into the concern that we're familiar with!
This is the Pepper's Ghost illusion, invented by John Henry Pepper, who was born OTD in 1821. We thought it was fun, as Amberley Chalk Pits was operated as a chalk quarry and limeburning business by Thomas Pepper and Sons. No relation, as far as we can see, but who cares about that?
On #InternationalBathDay we thought we'd share this little gem with you. Known as the Wundabath and dating between the wars, it's designed to be portable (!), although we're not quite sure how the plumbing works. It's definitely only for children or people who are on the more petite side!
Amberley Museum is due to be full of emergency services vehicles and people this weekend. Some of them are cuter and more controllable than others.
#AdoorableThursday A surprisingly elegant door for the Municipal Engine House. The House was built around a Robey engine used to pump sewage into the sea in Littlehampton over a century ago. We have to take the roof off if we need to extract the engine...
You really never know what you're going to find next! We discovered this brick in our Brick Drying Shed, which intrigued us for obvious reasons. No one actually seems to know but such bricks seem to have been made by Stanley Brothers of Nuneaton, who dated back to the 1700s!
Our Wheelwrights have been mocking up a quarter-size wheelbarrow ready to make a half-size for our younger/smaller visitors to try out. With something this small, they have to be inventive about the actual wheel...
It's often difficult to find something for #FindsFriday, especially as other peoples' finds are usually excavated. However, we found... THESE! Wheelbarrow wheels. Late 19th century. Bet not many other places can claim similar finds!
It takes a lot of teabags to keep over 400 volunteers happy! #internationalteaday #teabags #cupoftea