History – Cabinet of curiosities

What do a wasp nest, a can of MAS*H beer, and a mini-cannon have in common? At first glance, not much – yet all three feature in a wonderfully eclectic collection of natural oddities and human-made objects showcased in Warkworth Museum’s very own cabinet of curiosities. The cabinet of curiosities pays homage to the Wunderkammer, or “wonder room”, a 16th century tradition that laid the foundation for today’s museums. These early collections, assembled by wealthy European gentlemen, were designed to reflect their curiosity, intellect and status, bringing together rare artefacts from nature along with objects crafted by hand.

These collections were not confined to just one display cabinet, but would often take up a number of rooms in the home, housing art, antiquities, natural history specimens such as fossils, shells, and plants, as well as taxidermied animals and scientific instruments. Cabinets of curiosities showcased not only the collector’s personal tastes, but also the spirit of the times. As global trade and exploration expanded, these collections brought exotic objects from distant lands into European homes, offering a glimpse of the wider world. Also on display were objects such as narwhal tusks and taxidermied animals that supported beliefs in fantastical creatures such as unicorns, mermaids and sea monsters.

While you won’t find a mermaid or a unicorn in the Warkworth Museum cabinet of curiosities, you will find a fascinating collection of objects that pay tribute to the precursor of modern museums. A windswept ventifact eroded into a miniature sculpture shares space with a giant earthworm excavated while digging the foundations for the museum. Two huge paper wasp nests are testimony to the architectural wonders of the natural world, while a piece of flint from Hertfordshire is evidence of one of the largest Roman cities in Britain, Verulamium.

Local history is also displayed, with objects that have connections to the people, places and events of Warkworth and the surrounding areas. A ration tin from World War II that was found at Omaha beach sits alongside a small wooden bowl upcycled from kauri wood reclaimed from the Warkworth Primary School. A tiny brass replica of a cannon tells the story of the childhood escapades of T.H. Wilson, whose family established the Wilson Cement Works in the late 1800s. The story of the cannon is narrated by Wilson in Harry Bioletti’s book Warkworth Roundabout. In this story, gunpowder is acquired by Wilson and his friends, the cannon is lit and goes off with the biggest bang the children have ever heard. Thankfully, no one was injured and, as luck would have it, years later the cannon was found by Claude Thompson, who presented it to the museum in 1999.

Drop by the Warkworth Museum and discover the wonders and curios displayed in our cabinet of curiosities, as well as our permanent collections of local history, and our exhibition dedicated to the Wilson Cement Works story.