Will Catlin's Pierrots
Will Catlin’s Pierrots were a well-known sight on the north-east coast, performing on the beaches and their own open-air theatre in Scarborough.
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Incredible Insects
We’re feeling inspired by the exhibition Brilli-Ant! which is at Hopetown Darlington from now until 15th March 2026, so we thought we’d take a closer look at some of our insect inspired museum collections across the Tees Valley Museums.
A pinned Butterfly on a leaf. Image courtesy of Kirkleatham Museum.
These Butterfly samples are from Kirkleatham Museum & Grounds.
Over time collectors have gathered samples like these for educational purposes and scientific research. A lot of them have also been donated to museums where they continue to be used for this purpose.
Butterflies are good indicators of climate change as they respond to weather patterns. Some of them emerge earlier, change migration routes or even change size.
Some are at risk of extinction, while others are adapting, and travelling further to find safe homes.
Did you know, warmer weather usually means larger Butterflies?
Researchers can use museum collections and climate data to track these changes over time and find out more about insects, including those that are now extinct.
A pinned moth. Photograph courtesy of Kirkleatham Museum.
Kirkleatham also have some Moth samples in their collection.
Like Butterflies, Moth samples can also tell us a lot about climate. As the weather gets warmer there has been a decline in the number of moths.
Insect Pottery
An example of a Linthorpe Art Butterfly Wall pocket. Image courtesy of Middlesbrough Museums
Linthorpe Art Pottery is one of Middlesbrough’s most well-known ceramic makers, but did you know their designers would quite often take inspiration from the natural world?
They often made pottery which would look like animals or insects, including Butterflies, like the wall pockets above. Popular since the late 18th century, wall pockets are decorative pieces of pottery designed to be hung on walls and hold small items such as plants or flowers. Other examples of Linthorpe pottery can be seen on display at the Dorman Museum.
Ceramic plate. Image courtesy of Museum of Hartlepool
Another interesting piece of pottery is this ceramic plate from the Museum of Hartlepool’s collection. Its design is very similar to the Palissy style which took inspiration from nature. The plate depicts a lizard, frog, moths and worms. The readily available local clay and the employment of skilled artists and designers in pottery factories meant they could experiment with materials and shape and develop their own unique designs.
Insect Models
A photograph of the original Fly and Disease display as it was at the Gray Museum and Art Gallery. Photograph courtesy of Museum of Hartlepool
The Fly and Disease Display at Gray Museum and Art Gallery was such a popular display that the models were once again displayed in the Museum of Hartlepool as part of the ‘Museum: Past, Present and Future’ exhibition installed in 2025. This educational display showed dangers to health associated with flies. Now it’s remembered as a highlight from the original museum.
A photograph of the models, on display once more at Museum of Hartlepool. Image courtesy of Museum of Hartlepool
Conclusion
Our museums hold large collections of art, archaeology, social, industrial, maritime and world culture objects which are looked after and displayed so that our visitors can learn and enjoy.
The study of insects in museum collections can play an important role in helping us understand the historical impact of climate on biodiversity. Museums play an important role in preserving these samples for future research.
Other collections such as ceramics and models show the importance placed on nature as well as the inspiration taken from it by designers. Some models have also been displayed in museums to provide learning and opportunities for visitors.
Exhibitions are a great opportunity to engage audiences with collections and topics. Hopetown Darlington have explored the topic of climate via the Brilli-Ant! interactive exhibition aimed at 1 to 10 year olds and their families.
