The Fen Skaters exhibition also uses pictures and original documents from the early days of Fen skating and it is hoped that a video monitor will be installed to show archive film of the skaters in action. Museum curator Bob Burn-Murdoch said the Fens had always been the centre of English skating and that champions like Turkey Smart were as famous in the region in Victorian times as David Beckham is now. Huge crowds turned out to watch the racing and, in the glory days of the 1880s, local skaters travelled abroad where they beat all-comers in international events. A bandy team from Bluntisham was unbeaten in every match it played for more than a century. The Fen Skaters starts on May 1 and runs until July 31, with museum opening times from 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 5pm Monday to Friday, Saturday 10am to noon and 2pm to 5pm, and Sunday 2pm to 5pm.
Admission is free.