Wild about the Museum
Wild About the Museum
The grounds of the Head of Steam Museum are teeming with birds, bees and bats and 2012 will see more activities within the grounds of the museum to attract wildlife.
The museum covers an approximate half a hectare area, and is also the setting for a collection of 41 established semi-mature deciduous trees.
With help from Street Scene and Darlington Borough Council’s Ranger Team, we hope to make Head of Steam a fun place for kids to learn about the natural world.
Children from Corporation School have already made a start by making bat boxes within the museum’s Northern Rail Activity Room, these will be placed in various trees within the museum grounds to encourage pipistrelle bats and in October we will host a Bat Detection evening to see if we have attracted any new residents.
The Ranger Team are also keen to assist with practical help and advice on what to plant within the grounds to attract bees and butterflies and we are also purchasing new bird tables, feeders and bird boxes to encourage visits from our feathered friends.
There are also plans to create meadow corridors within our fields to encourage wildflowers to grow.
In 2009 Street Scene made dramatic improvements to the museum gardens. They planted over 1000 daffodil and crocus bulbs with children from the local Sure Start Centre. Every year Street Scene also take a leading role in maintaining the museum’s planters at the front of the building.
Educational Workshops
Bat Boxes
We recently held a workshop at Head of Steam where local school children made bat boxes with the help of members of The Ranger Team.
Further information about educational events
