Creswell Crags is set to start essential improvement work in its museum, including upgrades to the heating and lighting systems, to help protect its internationally significant Ice Age collection for the future.
The museum will be temporarily closed from Wednesday 26th August to prepare for the works taking place throughout September and October. The rest of the Visitor Centre, including the Shop and Café, and outdoor site remains open as normal. Guided cave tours will also continue.
The improvements will enable the team at Creswell Heritage Trust who manages the exhibition to carefully control the museum environment, helping to protect prehistoric animal bones and stone tools left behind by our ancestors, while also improving how the site’s remarkable Ice Age collection is displayed for visitors. The wrong temperature and humidity can damage objects, especially those which are thousands of years old. The works will enable the correct environment to be maintained so the collection is better protected, and can be enjoyed and studied for many years to come.
The work forms part of Creswell Crags’ wider ‘Caring for the Crags’ project, which is repairing and replacing outdated infrastructure across the site so that this unique heritage landscape and its collections can be better protected for future generations.
Funding for the project has been supported by the Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND 4), administered and delivered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The fund supports urgent maintenance work that helps protect the nation’s museum estates. The Project is also made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players, and by The Headley Trust.
Creswell Heritage Trust still need to raise £20,000 towards the new heating and lighting systems. If you would like to support us please visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/stonebystone or contact fundraising@creswell-crags.org.uk.
George Buchanan, Director of Creswell Crags said:
“Our ancestors used fire to heat and light their way; today, caring for a museum collection is a little more complicated. These upgrades will help us create the right conditions for our collections, protect objects that connect us to life in the Ice Age, and make sure visitors can continue to enjoy and learn from Creswell Crags for years to come.
This is a big project representing lots of work happening around the site in the coming months as the team work hard to make vital improvements to continue to care for the Crags. We are grateful to the support from our funders and members of the public who have also donated to the ‘Caring for the Crags’ campaign, and we welcome any further donations people feel able to give.”
Visitors are thanked for their patience while the museum closure is in place. Updates about the work and visitor opening arrangements will be shared through Creswell Crags’ usual channels.
Photo Credit: Creswell Heritage Trust (Juvenile hyena from the Ice Age collection at Creswell Crags)
Posted on 19 August 2026
