A unique opportunity to 'adopt' a mummified cat or a poet's death mask is being offered by a Cumbrian museum.

Keswick Museum this week launched its enterprising new fundraising scheme: Adopt an Object for Christmas 2020.

Customers can choose from a range of local objects to sponsor for a year.

All proceeds will support the museum to care for Keswick’s heritage.

Objects up for adoption include the Musical Stones, John Opie’s portrait of poet Robert Southey, and – of course – the museum’s famous 700-year-old mummified cat.

Adoption prices range from £15 to £150. When people adopt an object they will receive a certificate featuring the name of the adopter, a picture of the object and a ticket to visit the museum which is valid for 12 months

Curator Nicola Lawson said: “Keswick Museum is working hard to bounce back from the impact of Covid-19.

“The museum hopes that the Adopt an Object scheme will raise the profile of the artefacts in its collection, and give a welcome income boost to help its recovery.

“Adopting an object is the perfect gift for the history-lovers in your life. Adopters will be supporting local heritage and helping Keswick Museum to care for the unique artefacts in its collection.”

The Musical Stones cost £75 to adopt. They look like a xylophone but the notes are made from a local stone.

Peter Crosthwaite, who founded the original museum in Keswick, found six stones at Skiddaw in 1785 which he said were in perfect tune.

Following on from this, Joseph Richardson spent 13 years trying to produce an instrument on a larger scale than Crosthwaite’s, which would have every musical note. He finally finished it in 1840. He and his sons gave concerts on it.

For £35 people can adopt Robert Southey’s death mask. The cast of the poet’s face was taken shortly after death his death in 1843. He was buried in Crosthwaite churchyard three days later.

In the 19th century, death masks were often made of famous people, so that people would remember what they looked like in a time before photography.

For more details, visit keswickmuseum.org.uk or call 017687 73263.