Welcome to the 24 Hour Museum news in brief page for the week ending September 16 2007.
14.09.2007 - Tate Britain reveals its secrets for a family day on Saturday
On Saturday September 15, Tate Britain will host a day of architectural activities for parents and children as part of its next day of special Saturday activities - BP Saturdays: Secret Tate.
Families are invited to explore the building, its architecture and all the treasures it contains as part of this weekend's annual London Open House/Architecture in the Flesh event.
For the free event, which runs betrween 10am and 5pm, the gallery will be alive with performance artists, hands-on craft making, a special new display and a secret tour of undiscovered parts of the gallery. Kids will be encouraged to build their own den, look at art through spy-holes, wriggle through secret tunnels and unlock the secrets of paintings.
To find out more about this year’s Open House London Annual Event, Architecture in the Flesh visit www.openhouse.org.uk
14.09.2007 - Medieval and Viking finds from Cumbria declared treasure
A medieval silver brooch, 16 coins and 253 bits of broken Viking silver found by individuals in the Northwest have been declared as treasure by an inquest in Penrith.
Detectorist, Carol Handley found a silver brooch dating to the medieval period in the Lupton area in April 2006. The 16 coins were found in the Tebay area by Brian Steadman of Kendal’s metal detecting group and the Viking items were found by Alan James who was working with North Pennines Archaeology.
All of the items were logged and registered by Cumbria Finds Liasion Officer, Dot Burns, who works with the public to register and identify finds as part of the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
The items will now be examined and valued by the British Museum in London who may acquire them for their or another museum collection - or the items will be given back to the finders. In the event of a sale to a museum the finders and landowners will share a proportion of the value.
14.09.2007 - Culture Minister defers export of a Rubens oil sketch
Culture Minister, Margaret Hodge, has deferred her decision on an export licence application for a Rubens oil sketch - 'Meleager and Atalanta hunting the Boar'.
The sketch was initially produced in the early 1630s and was subsequently used as a preparatory sketch for a larger painting commissioned by Philip IV of Spain for one of his hunting lodges c1636-38, which is now lost.
A decision on the export licence application for the picture will be deferred for a period ending on November 11 2007 inclusive. This period may be extended until March 11 2008 inclusive if a serious intention to raise funds, with a view to making an offer to purchase the picture at the recommended price of £3,301,231.44 is expressed.
13.09.2007 - Museum lays its much loved pony to rest
The Museum of East Anglian Life will be holding an informal ceremony on Sep 272007 for Remus their much loved Suffolk Punch who passed away earlier this year.
Remus, who was the oldest Suffolk Punch in the world had been in retirement for some years having previously spent his days working on the Museum estate and demonstrating his skills to the public.
In his 28 years Remus touched many lives young and old and was always happy to meet children on school visits, or attend one of his many public engagements such as pulling Santa’s sleigh at Christmas or taking part in the Stowmarket Carnival to name but a few.
If any members of the public would like to attend the short internment ceremony then please meet with staff in Remus’ paddock at 1.00 pm.
13.09.2007 - Museum plan for old Northampton Castle site
According to reports in the Northampton Chronicle talks are to be held to discuss the creation of a museum of Northampton's history on the site of the town's former castle.
The castle dates back to the 12th century and was once used as a seat of Parliament but was partially demolished in the mid seventeenth century after the English Civil War.
Proposals for the new museum are to be debated by the council after plans for a 'commemorative needle' at the site met with a public backlash.
12.09.2007 - St Ninian's Well to open doors for first time in 125 years
The doors to St Ninian’s Well, a former public wash house and historic building in Stirling, will open to the general public again on Sunday September 16 for the first time in 125 years.
The event is part of Stirling’s Doors Open Day, and the Well will be opened courtesy of Stirling Council and staffed by Friends of the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum.
St Ninian’s Well has always been in the centre of the historic Wellgreen, the common washing green for Stirling. Wellgreen now accommodates a business centre, a nursery and a residential home, and the Well is now part of the open-air car park. It was abandoned as a wash house in the 1880s.
St Ninian was one of the Celtic saints who brought Christianity to Scotland. He is associated with the Whithorn area, but also with the crossroads south of Stirling, where the village is still known as St Ninian’s. St Ninian’s Well is a clear, pure source of fresh water.
On Sunday (which is also St Ninian's day) the Friends of the Smith will be hanging out their first washing to guide potential pilgrims to St Ninian’s Well.
12.09.2007 - Short story publication to mark 70th anniversary of National Maritme Museum
A collection of 16 short stories by British and Irish writers has been specially commissioned to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the National Maritime Museum.
The stories are all inspired by that great literary muse: the sea and will be published on September 27 2007 - World Maritime Day.
An impressive line up of authors includes Niall Griffiths, James Scudamore, Tessa Hadley and Erica Wagner whilst stories include tales of remote and wild coastscapes in Orkney and the West of Ireland and mysteries set in the Mediterranean.
11.09.2007 - Museum commissions painting of Henbury Hall
Chester’s Grosvenor Museum has commissioned an oil painting of Henbury Hall, reckoned to be the most beautiful 20th century house in Cheshire, by the distinguished architectural painter Carl Laubin.
Built in 1984-6, Henbury was inspired by Andrea Palladio’s Villa Rotonda and its 18th century English variants.
The painting is displayed at the Grosvenor Museum as a companion to a painting of Eaton Hall, the spectacular Regency Gothic house rebuilt between 1803 and 1812 by William Porden for the 2nd Earl Grosvenor.
Together, the paintings celebrate the remarkable fact that Cheshire produced one of the most important Gothic houses of the 19th century and one of the most important Classical houses of the 20th century.
10.09.2007 - Graffiti cleaned off Skara Brae prehistoric site
Three weeks after House 1 at Skara Brae prehistoric site in Orkney was defaced by graffiti messages, Historic Scotland conservators have successfully removed any traces of the defacement, returning the hugely significant site back to normal, with no long-term damage.
"Our conservation team were onsite moments after the incident occurred and from then on began working hard researching into the best possible solutions to remove the marker pen without damaging the stone," said Stephen Gordon, Senior Conservator at Historic Scotland said.
"After extensive trials, we achieved the right formula and we are delighted to say it has been remarkably successful."
The graffiti, which read "Brian Finlay slept here 13-8-2007" as well as "scouse celts", was discovered by staff on August 14.
10.09.2007 - Unusual Trajan Roman coin found on Sussex beach
A rare Roman coin of the emperor Trajan that celebrates Rome’s conquest of Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) in AD 115, has been found at Shoreham-by-Sea and reported to Liz Andrews-Wilson, Portable Antiquities Scheme Finds Liaison Officer for Sussex.
The coin shows Trajan standing triumphant in military attire above three figures representing Armenia and the rivers Euphrates and Tigris.
To see the coin and to learn more about Roman coins found in Britain, go to the Portable Antiquities Scheme website: www.finds.org.uk
The coin’s record number is SUSS-977223.
10.09.2007 - Open day looms for weavers at Lavenham Guildhall
The Lavenham Guild of weavers, spinners and dyers at the National Trust’s Lavenham Guildhall will be demonstrating the textile craft of weaving yarn into cloth on Saturday September 15 2007.
Visitors are encouraged to ‘have-a-go’ for themselves and there will be a variety of looms on display including peg looms, inkle looms and traditional hand looms.
One of the best examples of a medieval cloth town in England, Lavenham was built on the success of its textile trade and prospered in the 15th and 16th centuries, when it was one of the wealthiest towns in the country.
The open day takes place between 11am and 4pm. Normal admission applies, no booking required.
