Under normal circumstances, the £500,000 refurbishment of a small museum in Shropshire would not be a story capable of attracting the interest of the world’s media. But these are not normal circumstances, and this isn’t simply a small museum in Shropshire.

It’s the year Britain will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games.  And this refurbished museum holds many of the artefacts, interpretation panels and memorabilia which help to explain exactly why, without Much Wenlock in Shropshire, there possibly would not have been a “London 2012”.  Or an Athens 1896, for that matter.
 
Much Wenlock is now recognised globally as the place where the idea for an international modern Olympic Games first took shape.  And for the last 12 months, the world’s media have been taking the story back with them to China, Japan, Brazil, the United States of America, and most countries in Europe.
 
Local doctor and philanthropist, Dr William Penny Brookes established the Wenlock Olympian Games in 1850 – now acknowledged as the forerunner to the current international modern Olympic Games.
 
He shared his vision for an international Olympian festival with Baron de Coubertin, who visited Much Wenlock, and was inspired by Brookes’ ideas. The wealthy and influential French aristocrat subsequently went on to form the International Olympic Congress.  The first Games of the modern Olympics took place in Athens in 1896.  And the rest, as they say, is history.

Much Wenlock has welcomed visitors to its Museum since 1974. Thanks to some generous Heritage Lottery Funding, the Museum re-opens on February 20th – completely revamped, and ready to welcome visitors from around the globe.

Entrance to Much Wenlock Museum is free of charge.  It will be open from Tuesday February 21st, with opening times (up to March 31st) of Tuesdays and Fridays from 10.30am to 1.00pm, and 1.30pm to 4.30pm; and then on Saturdays from 10am to 1pm.
 
For more details, visit www.muchwenlock2012.com and www.wenlock-olympian-society.org.uk