Council buys historic collection for undisclosed sum

Sunday, 18 August 2024 13:17

By Shelagh Parkinson - LDRS

Blackpool Council has agreed to buy a historic archive collection for an undisclosed sum which will eventually become part of displays at the Showtown museum.

Agreement has been reached to buy items from a private seller which are believed to include costumes and scripts related to the Tower Circus. The move will ensure the collection remains in the resort.

A council report, setting out approval for the purchase, says: “The addition of the collection to the existing Tower Company Archive will create an important research collection unrivalled in the UK for its ability to telling a unique entertainment story.

“The council is buying the collection at market value with the majority of the cost grant funded.

“Acquiring collections creates opportunities for Showtown’s temporary exhibitions and rotation of permanent displays. Council ownership reduces the cost of loaning items and enhances the content and sustainability of the museum.”

The cost of the purchase and details about the seller are being kept under wraps but grants have been secured to cover the majority of the acquisition which has taken around two years to complete.

The report says the owners want the collection to remain in Blackpool and so have been happy to wait until the funds could be acquired. Experts from the V&A museum have also advised the council’s Heritage Service.

Showtown, which is owned by the council, opened in March this year in the Sands Hotel building on Bank Hey Street, and celebrates Blackpool’s rich history of entertainment, dance and circus tradition.

The attraction includes six colourful galleries celebrating Seaside, Magic, Circus, Illuminations, Shows and Dance.