Collections

“We live in Rotherham and our stories live in Clifton Park Museum”

Rotherham Museums, Arts and Heritage cares for over 75,000 objects which have been collected since Clifton Park Museum opened to the public in July 1893. The collections were originally loans from other museums, local gentry or nobility and local societies from all over the world, but soon developed to focus on life right here in Rotherham.

We now care for and collect items made, used, or associated with people, places or activities within the borough of Rotherham.

Check out a few highlights from our collections below.

Nelson the Lion

Nelson is a firm favourite with visitors of all ages. Originally from the South Cape in South Africa, Nelson is thought to have been a model for the lion sculptures in London’s Trafalgar square.

The Rhinoceros Vase

The Rhinoceros Vase is a world-famous piece of pottery. At 1.2 m high and weighing around 50kg, it is thought to be the largest piece of porcelain fired in one piece EVER. Designed and produced at the Rockingham Works in Swinton, the vase is one of only two in the world, with its smaller ‘sister’ vase currently on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Walker Family Portraits

Rotherham Museums, Arts and Heritage looks after a number of paintings of the Walker family, the original owners of the house and industrial giants of Rotherham. The affectionately nicknamed ‘Josh’ and ‘Sue’ are hard to miss, standing proudly at 2.5m tall in the Dining Room.

Marco the Bear

Marco the European Brown bear is another favourite with visitors. Marco used to tour the schools of the borough until he retired from his work to the Museum. Did you have a visit from Marco the bear?

Roman Tombstone

The tombstone for a Roman soldier called Crotus Vindex was made around two thousand years ago and can now be found in the Early Rotherham gallery. The stone was commissioned by Crotus’ wife Flavia Peregrina. Roman tombstones of this size and quality are not very common in England and this one would have cost Flavia a lot of money - she must have really loved him!