By Rachael Grealish

A Cumberland sports exhibition featuring the likes of traditional wrestling, hound trailing and even aikido, is set to open at The Beacon.

Hosted within the Light and Dark gallery, the Cumberland Sports exhibition will provide a fascinating insight into the area’s sporting clubs, from Saturday, September 30 at the town’s harbour-based museum.

Councillor Anne Quilter, Cumberland Council’s Executive Member for Vibrant and Healthy Places, said this display will bring together the stories from the ‘rich history of community sports within Cumberland’.

She said: “The exhibition tells the story of sport within Cumberland with text, images, videos, historical pictures, newspaper cuttings, team kits and objects.

“There will be a jersey bin for children and adults to try on various tops, a photo opportunity for you to lift The Beacon cup, and a chance to play a variety of sports on a Nintendo Wii console.

“We have a rich history of community sports within Cumberland and this display brings these stories together. It’s a must-see exhibition for anyone interested in local heritage and sport.”

This exhibition has been drawn together by The Beacon Museum’s own curator, Alex Milner with the close involvement of a variety of sporting clubs based in the Cumberland area.

A selection of sports includes aikido, athletics, cricket, cycling, fell/mountain running, karate, rowing, squash, swimming, traditional hound trailing and triathlons.

Museum visitors can also discover the other four floors of family-friendly galleries and exhibitions. The museum tells the story of historic Cumberland, an area set amongst the Lake District’s dramatic mountain and coastal landscapes.

The Beacon Museum offers an ongoing programme of exhibitions to complement the display of its permanent collection. These range from major blockbusters often curated by staff, to touring exhibitions and works on loan from other institutions.

Cumberland Sports opens this Saturday, September 30, and remains open to visitors until 7 January, however, people will be able to enjoy seeing the new exhibit for free this weekend, Saturday 30 September and Sunday 1 October.

Alongside this, The Beacon Museum will be opening at 10am on Sunday 1st October 2023 for Quiet Hour. This will provide a calmer environment with fewer people, which will be useful for anyone who needs it. The sound will be lowered on our interactive exhibits, and our lighting will be more subdued.