4 days ago
Swindon museum favourite returns after restoration
Young people have helped bring a Swindon museum favourite back to life.
The Swindon Gharial has been restored and given "pride of place" at the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery.
The crocodilian sculpture was a feature in the museum's former location on Bath Road before it closed in 2021.
Mayor of Swindon, Councillor Fay Howard, attended the reopening of the museum in its new location where she thanked the people who helped restore the Gharial.
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She said: "It was an absolute pleasure on Thursday to thank the incredible young curators who have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring our beloved Swindon Gharial back to the Swindon Museum and Art Swindon collection.
"Our croc now has pride of place in the museum and looks very happy to be back home."
As well as restoring the sculpture, the curators also chose other exhibits and implemented QR codes throughout the museum, giving visitors more details on the exhibits.
Councillor Howard continued: "I even apologised to her for the times my children used her as a climbing frame at the old museum – sorry, old girl.
"It's truly fantastic to see how beautifully she's been restored.
"Now, she can be enjoyed by many generations to come."
