A museum volunteer and Museums + Heritage Awards winner in 2021 is to unveil their first curated exhibition this year.
Brothers Harry and Julian Young jointly won ‘Volunteer of the Year’ at the Museums + Heritage Awards three years ago for their contribution to Cheshire’s Lion Salt Works Museum during the pandemic.
Now, Harry will return to the museum as a curator of a temporary exhibition. Opening in April, ‘The Geology of Cheshire Salt’ will bring together Harry’s passion for geology and his love for the Cheshire landscape.
Harry told Advisor: “Volunteering for the Lion Salt Works Museum with my twin brother gave me the opportunity to hone a number of skills that have proved invaluable in many aspects of my life, including becoming a curator.”
On his upcoming exhibition, he said: “Visitors can expect to dive into the geological history of Cheshire and gain a greater understanding of exactly how the salt impacted the landscape and industry of Cheshire.”
The exhibition follows Young’s university degree in Geography and Natural Hazards, which concluded last May. It is based on his final year geography dissertation at university.
“I had an in-depth understanding of the geological processes, as well as the local history, and I was delighted to adapt my dissertation as an exhibition for the museum. I see this as a way of continuing to support the museum in a voluntary capacity,” he said.
Judges at the 2021 Museums + Heritage Awards ceremony described the brothers had secured the award by “taking on the learning of new skills in order to volunteer, and adapting to meet the needs of the museum, the commitment of these two young twin brothers was really impressive.”
Young said: “The Museum + Heritage Awards are fantastic because they bring together like-minded individuals and groups that have a real passion for helping their communities and local projects.
“[T]his award recognised the tireless work of the Lion Salt Works Trust as well as giving a profile to the museum – so this was a really special moment for everyone. For me this award makes me want to continue volunteering, now and into the future.”
