Popular North Yorkshire museum - Beck Isle in Pickering - to remain shut for rest of year

Beck Isle Museum of Rural Life in Pickering will not open this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Beck Isle MuseumBeck Isle Museum
Beck Isle Museum

Chairman of trustees Dr Mike Pitt said: "“The Trustees of Beck Isle Museum have taken the difficult decision not to re-open the Museum for the remainder of the season.

2This decision has not been taken lightly. Trustees read the 38-page booklet of Government guidance for re-opening museums and considered the practicalities of applying the guidance to our unique, Grade II* Georgian building. We came to the conclusion that it was not practical to welcome visitors to what is essentially a Georgian house.

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"Beck Isle is a volunteer-run museum and most of our volunteers are retired people, who are particularly vulnerable to the virus. Considering our responsibilities towards our volunteers and visitors, we felt that we simply could not open for the summer season.”

Volunteers will be able to take part in projects to develop the Museum’s collections and displays while working towards a planned opening next year. The Museum is particularly keen to hear from anyone who would be interested in restoring three elderly bicycles in the collection. Anyone interested in volunteering at Beck Isle should email [email protected]

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