Campaigns

Big Day Out at Papplewick Pumping Station

There have been some high profile cases of cutbacks in funding recently at some local attractions.

The Big Day Out, on Sunday 29 March 2009, was about making the most of the fascinating venues we already have.

And that certainly happened as several of the museums recorded record numbers on the day.

Record numbers

The Galleries of Justice had 1400 people through its doors. The museum even had to open early to let people in who were queuing outside!

Paplewick Pumping Station's visitors increased ten fold and Newark Air Museum by four times their average number.

• Galleries of Justice - 1400 visitors
• Mansfield Fire Museum - more than 500 visitors
• Newark Air Musuem - around 450 visitors
• Papplwick Pumping Station - 10 times the usual visitor numbers
• Holocaust Centre - just under 250 visitors
• Vina Cooke museum of dolls - just under 100
• Newark Millgate Museum - 213 visitors in just 3 hours
• Wollaton Dovecote Museum - a 100% increase in visitors
• Nottingham Castle- 1550 visitors, well up on a normal Sunday
• The Museum of Nottingham Life at Brewhouse Yard - 650 visitors
• Calverton Folk Museum - 10 times the usual number of visitors

Comments from the public

"Really, really good day. Amazing how many people are about."

"We've lived here a couple of years and never got around to seeing Nottingham Castle. We've thoroughly enjoyed it."

"We go to museums on holiday but locally we don't normally bother. This day came up and we thought we would."

Man behind the Big Day Out

Presenter Andy Whittaker was behind the idea.

"I think we're all very good at visiting museums and attractions when we go to other towns and cities in the UK, but when did you last go to the museum on your doorstep?"

There are around 30 museums in Nottinghamshire and many of them were involved.

Some museums waived their fees, others opened especially for the Big Day Out.