The Manx Museum
In the latter half of the 19th century, Governor Loch’s appointment of an Archaeological Commission and the foundation of the Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society did much to galvanise public support for the concept of preserving the Island’s heritage. In 1886 the Museum and Ancient Monuments Trustees were established by Act of Tynwald.
In The Beginning
By coincidence, the building which houses the original Manx Museum was erected that same year but not until 1922, when the Henry Bloom Noble Trustees decided they needed to move the hospital to larger premises, was the building handed over as a first permanent home for the Manx Museum.
The first Curator, from 1922 to 1932, was P.M.C. Kermode, who had already spent a lifetime in antiquarian research in the Island and had been Secretary to the Manx Museum and Ancient Monuments Trustees since 1905. He enthusiastically set about bringing together the collections from the temporary museum in Castle Rushen, those stored at Peel, Government Office and several other locations together with the Antiquarian Society's collections in Ramsey. In addition Kermode established an initial collection of local prints and pictures including the Baume bequest of works by the distinguished Manx artist J.M. Nicholson. Before his death in 1932 Kermode laid the foundations of the academic standards on which his successors have built.
At the 1922 opening ceremony the then Lieutenant Governor, Sir William Fry, said prophetically:
"Some may think this Museum rather small. All museums must have small beginnings, but there is no reason why this Museum should not grow. We have the ground for extension, and already plans are in view whereby it may be enlarged.It has always been in the minds of the Trustees that this should be an educational centre for the Island.
