Weston Park launches new digital guide to enrich onsite and off site visits
Weston Park, the stately home on the Shropshire \ Staffordshire border has launched a new digital guide on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app created by Bloomberg Philanthropies. Bloomberg Connects is available to download from Google Play or the App Store and makes Weston Park and its internationally important collections accessible for both onsite and offsite visits through rich and varied content including images, audio recordings and video highlights from the outstanding collections. It tells the history of the estate from the Domesday book to the work of the Weston Park Foundation, the charity that now cares for the estate in a new, exciting and wholly accessible way.
A remarkable historic house, which has never been sold, Weston Park was gifted to the nation in 1986 by the present Earl of Bradford. The new guide enables users to explore the world class collection of fine and decorative arts, some of which dates back over 500 years.
Users of Bloomberg Connects can enjoy guided audio visual tours of the House and grounds with Gareth Williams, Curator and Head of Learning to the Weston Park Foundation. From room to room the guide gives the opportunity to delve further into Weston’s story and learn more about significant items from the collection.
Tours also include Capability Brown’s work at Weston Park, the gardens and architecture of the House and rooms beyond the baize door that are not normally open to visitors, as well as the free-entry Granary Art Gallery and its exhibitions.
Gareth Williams comments: “I am thrilled that Weston Park is the first British country house collection to join more than 80 cultural institutions around the globe on Bloomberg Connects. The new app-based digital guide means that Weston Park’s collections and the place’s significance is now more accessible to new and existing audiences than ever before. Bloomberg Connects enables us to link the Weston Park collection to other comparable heritage assets and sites whilst the visitor is exploring what the Weston Park Foundation cares for. We have no doubt that this new, immersive approach to sharing the estate will appeal to young and older visitors alike.’
Weston Park is open daily until Sunday 25th September with the House open to view on a free-flow basis from 1pm – 4.30pm, Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays.
The final Behind the Scenes Tours of the summer season take place on Sunday 7th and 14th August at 2pm.
Weston Park sits amongst 1,000 acres of Capability Brown landscaped parkland and was gifted to the nation in 1986 and is now owned by the Weston Park Foundation, an independent charitable trust. The House is an exclusive use venue and is available for business meetings, team building events, corporate hospitality and celebrations. The Park is home to nationally acclaimed outdoor events with the estate open seasonally for days out.
Bloomberg Connects offers free digital guides to cultural organisations around the world. The app platform is part of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ longstanding commitment to supporting digital innovation in the arts. Bloomberg Connects makes it easy to access and engage with arts and culture from mobile devices when visiting in person, or anytime from anywhere. With dynamic content exclusive to each partner organisation, the app provides a range of features including video, audio and text; expert commentary and way-finding maps.
Click here to download the free app or scan the QR code below
