The Rotunda Museum has both national and international significance. It represents the birth of a new science – geology – and the acquisition of a specific knowledge which still forms the basis of all gas and mineral mining today.
The humbly born surveyor, William Smith, informed the design of the Museum, one of the oldest purpose built museums still in use today.
William Smith, dubbed the ‘Father of English Geology’ established that rocks had a ‘natural order’ and that fossils could be used to position a rock within that order. Smith came to Scarborough to live to benefit the health of his mentally ill wife after a time of prison, bankruptcy and having his work plagiarised. He was taken to the heart of the town.
In 1828 the Scarborough Philosophical Society funded the construction of the Rotunda Museum which opened on 31 August 1829. The members’ intention was that the structure should be of ‘such magnitude and character, as might comprise the whole of the collection in one room, to hold meetings at which scientific communications will be received and to establish a library’.
Please help us re-invigorate the structure, make the building accessible to the whole of our community and provide a fitting home for a geological collection of immense importance. Let’s preserve this building of international significance
In the event that:
- the redevelopment of the Rotunda Museum cannot be carried out to completion, for whatever reason; or
- the redevelopment of the Rotunda Museum is completed and surplus funds remain from donations received
all funds or surplus funds donated will be applied towards the general charitable work of Scarborough Museums Trust, unless donors indicate in writing to the address below that in any of the above events occurring they would like their donations to be returned.
Scarborough Museums Trust is a Registered Charity (number 1106238)and a company limited by guarantee (number 5114387). It is regulated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
In addition to establishing and maintaining the Rotunda, Scarborough Museum Trust's charitable
objectives include the promotion and encouragement of scientific
research and the dissemination of information and knowledge in relation
to archaeology, history, natural sciences, decorative and fine arts and
antiques and preserving collections and promoting public access in
Scarborough and elsewhere to such collections.
