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Edward Colston statue goes on permanent display in Bristol museum

BBC Image of the exhibition. The Colston statue is in a glass case and protest signs can be seen behind it.BBC
A survey found that 80% of Bristolians wanted the statue to be displayed in a museum

A museum exhibition featuring the toppled statue of Edward Colston has been unveiled.

The protest exhibition is on permanent display at the M Shed Museum in Bristol.

A survey of 14,000 Bristolians found that 80% of participants agreed the statue should be displayed in a museum.

Helen McConnell Simpson, the curator, said: "I hope people are interested to see this really important part of Bristol's history."

The Grade II listed statue of the transatlantic slave trader was toppled during an anti-racism protest in Bristol on 7 June 2020.

After it was recovered from the city's harbour, the statue was temporarily displayed at the M Shed until January 2022.

BBC Image of Helen McConnell SimpsonBBC
Helen McConnell Simpson curated the exhibition at the M Shed

Ms McConnell Simpson said: "We're really pleased to be able to share [the exhibition] with the public.

"I'm hoping that people are interested in the different perspectives that we've tried to include in the display and that people are able to reflect on their own memories of the day that the statue was toppled."

BBC Image of the Edward Colston statue. It is on its side with red spray paint graffiti on it.BBC
Edward Colston was a 17th-Century slave trader
BBC Signs from Black Lives Matter protests on display at the exhibitBBC
Anti-racism protests took place across the UK following the death of George Floyd in 2020

The Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, said the team behind the exhibition had done "an amazing job".

"It's the beginning of a new chapter of the city's relationship with itself," he said.

"The statue - and what happened to it - is a catalyst for that."

BBC Image of Marvin ReesBBC
Mayor Marvin Rees visited the exhibition

Following the toppling, four people - known as the Colston Four - were accused of illegally removing the statue but were later wacquitted of criminal damage following a trial at Bristol Crown Court.

The exhibition opens to the public on Friday.

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