Looking After Aston Hall
Introduction
Aston Hall is a superb red brick mansion built 400 years ago for Sir
Thomas Holte. It was lived in as a home until the nineteenth century.
In 1858 Queen Victoria officially opened Aston Hall as museum.
Aston Hall was the first country house to be opened for the ordinary
public to visit.
It has been owned, and run as a museum, by Birmingham City
Council since 1862.
An amazing number of people are involved in looking after Aston
Hall.
Students from a local school spent an afternoon discovering who does
what!
Who works at Aston Hall all the time?
 A Curator/Manager
An Assistant Curator
Manager
An Education Officer
2 Senior Museum Assistants
Museum Assistants
The Curator/Manager at Work
Planning room displays ……..
…. and providing information
The Curator/Manager and Assistant Curator
Manager in Their Office
…booking in
coach parties…
Researching
information …
…and answering
letters.
The Assistant Curator Manager at Work
…ordering new
stock for the shop.
Protecting displays from
light damage …
The Education Officer at Work
…organising
role play…
Teaching school
groups…
…and producing
teacher resources.
The Senior Museum Assistants at Work in
the Open Season
…sweeping
outside…
Vacuuming
inside…
…polishing and
dusting all over
the house.
The Senior Museum Assistants at Work in
the Closed Season
… and re-painting
walls …
They do a lot of
heavy cleaning
including removing
chewing gum …
… and they check the
house is securely
locked and alarmed.
The Museum Assistants
…serving in the
tearoom and
shop…
Greeting and
helping visitors…
…and someone
has to clean the
toilets!
Who looks after Aston Hall and its contents?
Architects
Pest Control Officer
Safety and Security Officers
Conservators
Fire Officer
Security Alarm Engineers
Smoke Alarm Engineers
Fire Service
Conservators at Work
… and they are trained in
a variety of professional
restoration techniques.
They use specialist
cleaning methods …
Architects Check the Building
… look for signs of
insect damage.
They regularly
examine existing
gaps and cracks …
… and plan alterations
fitting for a Grade I
listed building.
A Pest Control Officer Visits Regularly
… he identifies insect life
in the house.
He looks for evidence of
rats and mice, and puts
down poison …
Safety and Security Officers
… and the house and room
alarms are serviced by a specialist
security alarm company
(recently floorboards were taken
up to re-new the cables).
A Fire Safety Officer
frequently checks the
extinguishers and smoke
detectors …
Who Keeps the Building in Good Repair?
A Variety of Maintenance Contractors
Glaziers
Carpenters
Electricians
Roof contractors
Graffiti Operatives
Repairs in progress
Expert plasterers patch up
the walls …
… and a contractor
re-news the roof tiles.
Dealing with Vandalism
… and an operative
removes graffiti.
The glazier replaces
broken panes …
What else happens at Aston Hall?
Aston Hall By Candlelight
The Asian Ladies Textile Group
Book Fair
Meetings
Re-enactments
Filming
Theatre Groups
Events
Exhibitions
Aston Hall Hosts Lots of Events and Exhibitions
… and for car rallies,
book fairs and wine
tasting. Fires and candles
are lit for ‘Aston Hall by
Candlelight’ …
Historical reenactments take place
here and the Hall and
Park are used as a
background for films
and television …
… and there is a changing
programme of
exhibitions – above is a
recent display of modern
decorative glass.