| IMAGINE THAT! TYNE AND WEAR COLLECTIONS GO ONLINE |
| By Caroline Lewis |
23/09/2004 |
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 | What will you search for today? Sifting through the enormous Tyne & Wear Museum collections is fun and easy on IMAGINE. |
Johnny Ball has helped to launch a terrific new website, which allow users to access 15,000 images of objects and paintings from museums and galleries in the North East.
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The TV personality, famous for presenting educational programmes (as well as being Zoe’s dad), tested out IMAGINE (Images, Museums and Galleries In the North East) at the Laing Gallery in Newcastle on September 23.
IMAGINE lets users virtually enter 11 museums in Tyne & Wear, and search for objects relating to archaeology, art and natural history. The online museum contains not only items that are on display in the museums, but also many more that are kept in the vaults.
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History trails aren't just for the 24 Hour Museum. Learn about historical jewellery from the comfort of your computer desk with one of the special adventures on IMAGINE. |  |
Alec Coles, director of Tyne & Wear Museums, said: “IMAGINE provides instant access to rare, fantastic and, of course, everyday objects.
“By using Tyne & Wear Museum’s collections the IMAGINE website will bring the evidence of the North East’s culture and identity into homes, offices and schools across the world at the touch of a button,” he continued.
So, visiting in person is no longer necessary to see maritime artefacts from the Discovery Museum, paintings from the Laing Gallery and stuffed animals from the Hancock Museum (though still thoroughly recommended!). Images of objects and paintings from Sunderland Museum, the Shipley Art Gallery, and from key World Heritage Collections at Roman Forts Arbeia and Segedunum are also available to explore.
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 | Letting IMAGINE do the search for you comes up with some very interesting results, like this Nigerian cap made from grass! |
The website is brilliantly user-friendly, with the option of zooming in on images so that every detail of an artefact can be studied. See the feather structure of a turtle dove from the Hancock collection or examine brushstrokes on a Canaletto from the Shipley!
The search facility lets users be as specific or as general as they like, with the unusual bonus of being able to sketch the object to be searched for instead of using words, while an interactive adventure section provides a really fun way to explore and learn about things like Egyptian jewellery and 1930s family life.
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As in a museum, there is also the option to browse leisurely – just ask the website to display objects at random to learn about unexpected crafts, vessels and stone tablets.
Features to make the website accessible for everyone are also included, such as British Sign Language introductions.
Run wild at www.imagine.org.uk, which has been made possible by the Big Lottery Fund.
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| |  | | Shipley Art Gallery (Tyne & Wear Museums) | | | Shipley Art Gallery , Prince Consort Road, Gateshead, NE8 4JB, Tyne & Wear, England
T: 0191 477 1495
Open: Mon-Sat 1000-1700
Sun 1400-1700
Closed 25 26 December 1 January & Good Friday
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| | | | | Hancock Museum, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne (temporarily closed) | | | Barras Bridge, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, NE2 4PT, Tyne & Wear, England
T: 0191 222 6765
Closed: The Hancock Museum closed its doors to the public on Sunday 23 April 2006 to begin its transformation as part of the Great North Museum project - an exciting and innovative world-class visitor attraction designed for the 21st century. The new Museum opens in 2009.
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| | | | South Shields Museum & Art Gallery (Tyne and Wear Museums) | | | Ocean Road, South Shields, NE33 2JA, Tyne & Wear, England
T: 0191 456 8740
Open: Easter to September: Monday to Saturday 10.00-17.30, Sunday 13.00-17.00
October to Easter: Monday to Saturday 10.00-17.00, Closed Sunday
Closed: Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day
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| | | | Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum (Tyne & Wear Museums) | | | Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum, Baring Street, South Shields, NE33 2BB, Tyne & Wear, England
T: 0191 456 1369
Open: Easter-End September
Mon-Sat 1000 - 1730
Sun 1300-1700
October-Easter
Mon-Sat 1000-1600
Closed Sun
Closed: Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day
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| | | | Stephenson Railway Museum (Tyne and Wear Museums) | | | Stephenson Railway Museum, Middle Engine Lane, North Shields, NE29 8DX, Tyne & Wear, England
T: 0191 200 7146
Open: Seasonal Opening Hours: please contact the museum for more details.
Closed: Stephenson Railway Museum will be closed until May 2005 but available for school visits. For further details, please contact the museum from February 2005.
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| | | | | Monkwearmouth Station Museum (Tyne and Wear Museums) | | | Monkwearmouth Station Museum, North Bridge Street, Sunderland, SR5 1AP, Tyne & Wear, England
T: 0191 567 7075
Open: The museum is now closed for an extensive restoration and redevelopment programme. When it re-opens in 2007, visitors will be able to enjoy a range of exciting new displays and activities in a refurbished, accessible museum.
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| | | | Discovery Museum (Tyne & Wear Museums) | | | Discovery Museum, Blandford Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4JA, Tyne & Wear, England
T: 0191 232 6789
Open: Monday to Saturday 10-5
Sunday 2-5
Closed: Christmas Day and Boxing Day
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| | | | Segedunum Roman Fort (Tyne & Wear Museums) | | | Segedunum Roman Fort, Baths & Museum , Buddle Street, Wallsend, NE28 6HR, Tyne & Wear, England
T: 0191 236 9347
Open: 1 April to 31 August: Monday to Sunday 09.30-17.30
1 September to 31 October: Monday to Sunday 10.00-17.00
1 November to 31 March: Monday to Sunday 10.00-15.30
Closed: Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Christmas Bank Holidays and New Year's Day.
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