A new multi-media exhibition celebrating Sheffield’s rivers has opened today at Weston Park Museum.
City of Rivers explores how waterways have shaped Sheffield’s history and landscape, drawing on artwork, natural history, poetry, music and personal testimonies.
Lucy Cooper, Exhibitions Curator at Sheffield Museums, said: “Sheffield’s rivers are the heartbeat of the city, impacting everything from nature and wildlife to our work and hobbies.
“We’ve had a great response from individuals and groups with contemporary content for the exhibition, including art, photos and objects. It’s been fantastic to bring these together with works from historic collections to celebrate all aspects of the city’s waterways.”
The exhibition boasts over 300 objects and artefacts ranging from paintings and sculptures to taxidermy and maps. It covers the multiple ways in which rivers have contributed to life in Sheffield throughout the past and into the current day.
Dominic Cisalowicz, Learning Deliverer at Sheffield Museum Trust, said: “It’s full of great detail about the rivers of Sheffield. They’re so important to the city.
“I really enjoyed looking at the maps and seeing how Sheffield has grown over the years and how the rivers have shaped that.
“It’s interactive, which is good for all age groups who visit it. The animal side is really good because I don’t think people actually realise how much wildlife there is in Sheffield sometimes.”
So far, early visitors to the museum have been enjoying the wide range of material on offer.
Lydia Yang, MA Education student at the University of Sheffield, said: “I think it’s very interesting and very helpful for young people to know the human and natural history of Sheffield.”
The exhibition has been developed with a wide range of city and community contributors, including Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust, Friends of the Porter Valley, Sheaf & Porter Rivers Trust, Shirebrook Valley Heritage Group, and South Yorkshire Industrial History Society.
Patricia Hall, a retired hairstylist, said: “It’s very interesting and it gives you an insight into what’s happening to our rivers. There’s a lot of pollution but they’re trying to do a lot of work to bring wildlife back into focus, so it’s a good thing and the more people that share it the better.”
The exhibition will run until 3 November 2024 and is free to enjoy.
