A Brighton woman has opened the first seagull museum.
Henrietta Gwilliams, 46, who lives in Moulsecoomb with her
cat Alfonso, has an array of items including collecting seagull ornaments, wall
hangings, books, taxidermy seagulls and other collectable items for the past
five years. She has over 500 individual pieces and with such a large collection
has decided to open her own museum in her home to showcase everything she has acquired.
She has even made her own seagull documentary which is on repeat as visitors go
round.
When asked why she had such a fascination with seagulls, she
said:
“I don’t really, I’m more fascinated by feathers to be
honest. But I couldn't open a feather museum. That would have made me look
loopy.”
Ms Gwilliams, who has never been married and is currently
single, had the idea to start collecting five years ago when she was wondering
round a car boot sale and saw a stuffed seagull in a glass chamber.
“I really liked it and the feathers looked so wonderful.
I had to have it. Then I grew to really love the gull, so I wanted more.
“Initially it was just a few bits here and there but eventually
I was buying something nearly every day.
“Now I have so much that I wanted to show it all off. Plus, seagulls
have had really bad press recently. I wanted to show people that they are actually
quite wonderful birds.”
The museum has four rooms and is open from Monday to Friday,
9-6 and weekends from 10-5. There is even a gift shop at the end where visitors
can buy a memento. Ms Gwilliams has tied to approach local schools to offer 50%
off for trips but she has yet to be allowed in the gate.
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