Collection

The Curve Pods

The Collection covers a period of around 10,000 years – from woolly mammoths to the present day and charts the development of the town of Slough, its public, social and domestic life, developments in science, technology, agriculture and industry and the impact of these on the town in the past, present and the future.

Since collecting began in 1985, Slough Museum has acquired around 3,500 objects and documents (consisting of prints, paintings, drawings; maps; numismatics; documents; decorative art; costume; geology; archaeology; occupational tools and equipment; Slough-made products & packaging; toys and other juvenilia) and 7,500 photographs. The Museum also holds approx. 32,000 negative packets and strips from Slough Observer newspaper and a small quantity of oral history recordings, video tapes and film reels.

Slough Museum is proud to have eight Pods in The Curve, the central library and cultural hub for Slough.

We also run Make with the Museum at The Curve Club on the last Saturday of the month.

These themed Pods, located over three floors, explore the heritage of the town, focusing on its nationally important industrial heritage and the history of its pioneering, vibrant community.

They feature the people of Slough, from the Herschel Family, who made significant advancements in astronomy, to the people living here today; focussing on domestic and community life, from important places and leisure activities, to community endeavours during the war periods. Pods include sound, visuals and short films.

Visit the pods to learn more about Slough’s history.

Origins of Slough

This pod features the early history of Slough. Highlights include our woolly mammoth’s tooth and tusk, excavated from the Slough area. The story takes in Slough’s importance on coaching routes and how its fertile land made it ideal for farming and horticulture.

A peak into Slough’s early history, we are fortunate to have a pod dedicated to educating about its ancient to post-modern history with artefacts ranging from a woolly mammoth’s tooth ( roughly the size of two basketball players) and tusk ( found in 1963) to diagrams on Slough’s early coaching routes within and around the Greater London area. We also have a section discussing the importance and value of how its fertile land made it ideal for farming and horticulture and civilisation many centuries later led to mass immigration.

Discovery and Innovation

Discovery and Innovation – this Pod documents great contributions to science and technology, including 18th century astronomers William and Caroline Hershel and elixir inventor James Elliman.

Explore and Discover the little-known history of how the inhabitants of Slough contributed to Science and Technology. Famous figures such as William and Caroline Herschel  (astronomers; perhaps you’ve heard of them) to the far less well-known elixir inventor James Elliman  (a philanthropist whose deeds were revealed posthumously) claimed Slough their home and made some pretty amazing discoveries that shaped Science, Technology and Astronomy for the better.

Life & Leisure

Find out about Slough’s golden age of cinema; highlights include the story of the Hollywood handprints, Slough’s very own pavement of fame.

Did you know Slough had a golden age of cinema? Unfortunately many people don’t; but not to worry the life and leisure pod is here to rectify that unfortunate mistake and share the highlights of the period; which fortunately for us include the story and pictures of the Hollywood Handprints!    (Slough’s very own pavement of fame)

 1930s Kitchen

Visitors are in for a unique treat when stepping foot into this pod for the first time; the unique setup makes it seem as if you’ve time-travelled into early 1930 Britain, with the kitchen all set up to welcome you home from work!  On one side we have on display a few objects that you would have found in any kitchen of the time (Visitors are asked not to touch any of the objects please!)