The Tullie

Tullie stands in Carlisle, a city in northern England. The museum occupies a converted Jacobean mansion built in the 17th century. Extensions were added when it became a museum in 1893. The original building and its extensions are Grade I listed, as are the wall, gates and railings in front. The two schools once housed there moved out in the 1950s, and the library left in 1986. The museum later expanded into the city Guildhall in 1980. Tullie is worth the journey for its varied collections and recent redevelopment. It holds large zoological, botanical and geological collections, including botanical specimens donated by Clara Winsome Muirhead in the 1940s. The fine and decorative arts collections feature works by Burne-Jones, Stanley Spencer and Winifred Nicholson. A notable stringed instrument is a violin by Andrea Amati from the royal collection of France. The museum also houses important Roman Britain collections and temporary exhibitions linked to Hadrian’s Wall. Visitors find permanent exhibitions on the Vikings and the Border Reivers. The museum won the Family Friendly Museum Award in 2015. It is one of three members of the Cumbria Museum Consortium, funded by Arts Council England. The redevelopment in 2025 added new space and improved displays. The Grade I listed building and its surroundings remain a key feature of Carlisle’s heritage.