Welcome to the 24 Hour Museum news in brief page for the week ending April 6 2008. This page is updated every weekday.
04.04.2008 – Grand National winner’s skeleton on display in Liverpool
In time for this weekend’s Grand National, World Museum Liverpool is putting on display the skeleton of Ambush II – the last royal horse to win the Aintree race.
Ambush II was owned by Edward VII (then the Prince of Wales), when he won in 1900.
Little is known about why the horse’s skeleton came to be in Liverpool. It was given to Liverpool Museum in 1961 by the city’s Veterinary School.
04.04.2008 – First three towns to get ‘Sea Change’ funding announced
Blackpool, Dover and Torbay will be the first towns to benefit from up to £4million each for cultural and heritage projects through the government’s ‘Sea Change’ programme.
Culture Secretary Andy Burnham made the announcement on April 4. The three-year programme aims to kick-start wider economic regeneration in coastal areas and is being led by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE).
04.04.2008 – Archives put on the political agenda
An All Party Group (APG) on Archives has been created this week, putting archives and records on the political agenda in the UK.
MPs and peers approved the establishment of the APG to reflect the importance of archives and the popularity of family and local history.
The National Council on Archives and Society of Archivists will be involved in the group, providing knowledge and expertise. An APG is an informal grouping of MPs and peers used to discuss topics and raise debates.
04.04.2008 – Baked, mashed or chipped? Pick your favourite potato at the Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum in London is holding a special event on April 13 to mark the International Year of the Potato.
Introduced to Britain over 400 years ago, we now eat 110kg of spuds, each, every year.
At 12.30pm and 2.30pm the museum is holding an event to explore the natural history of the crop and offering the opportunity to take part in a crisp tasting test so you can find out your favourite potato flavour.
04.04.2008 – Ryedale Folk Museum opens Iron Age roundhouse
Local volunteers from schools and community groups have built a replica Iron Age roundhouse at Ryedale Folk Museum in North Yorkshire.
The roundhouse has been fitted out as it would have been in the Iron Age, according to research, and has been informed by studies of prehistoric sites at West Heslerton and Pickering.
In addition, the house comes with its own livestock – Soay sheep brought in from Orkney.
03.04.2008 – Bowes Museum gets green light for its lottery money
The Bowes Museum’s £3.3m bid to The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has been successful, meaning proposals which gained a ‘Stage One Pass’ in 2006 are set to go full steam ahead.
Money released as part of the initial approval has already allowed designs to be drawn up, which will now become a reality.
The transformation will be seen as soon as visitors step into the redesigned entrance hall, which will incorporate easier access to the gift shop and Café Bowes, both of which are to be revamped.
New galleries will celebrate the silver and textile collections whilst the famous Silver Swan automaton will be interpreted in a new and exciting way. The improvements will also see the opening of a new library and archive and education suite.
“We are absolutely delighted to receive confirmation of this generous award from The Heritage Lottery Fund,” said Adrian Jenkins, Director of The Bowes Museum. “The museum is going through a very exciting period and this will allow us to realise our aims of creating better access to the collections while enriching visitors’ enjoyment.”
03.04.2008 – Roman Mosaic uncovered in St Albans
The field archaeology unit from St Albans Museums has uncovered a colourful 3rd century Roman mosaic in Verulamium Park, St Albans.
The site is already known as a place where an ancient hypocaust was found together with other mosaics. This latest discovery, uncovered during the digging of a trench for an electricity cable, is of the type found in a high quality town house with between 20 to 30 rooms.
Because the park belongs to English Heritage the team was not allowed to dig beyond the trench and the chequered mosaic has now been photographed and covered.
03.04.2008 - Work on Bluebird museum begins
The extension of the Ruskin Museum in Coniston will begin next week to provide a permanent home for Donald Campbell's record-breaking Bluebird.
More than £500,000 has been raised to extend the museum where the restored boat will go on display.
A total of £750,000 will eventually be raised for the purpose-built extension, which is expected to be completed by October.
03.04.2008 - National Library of Scotland's musical reflection on racial and religious tolerance
A musical reflection on Scotland’s historical and ongoing journey towards social inclusion and racial and religious tolerance takes place at Queens Hall Edinburgh on April 17.
A’ Adam’s Bairns has been supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and The National Library of Scotland, and is a folk music exploration of this important historical journey.
The live performance will include contemporary arrangements of songs by Hamish Henderson, Robert Burns, James Hogg and the Proclaimers among many others, including some songs from the Library’s music manuscript collections unheard in living memory.
A folk music CD and teachers resource pack has also been produced which will go out to every school in Scotland.
02.04.2008 - Staff strike at National Waterfront Museum, Swansea
Members of the Civil Servant Union PCS have voted for a one-day walkout over pay on Thursday April 3 at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea.
PCS is demanding pay increases for staff at Welsh Assembly-funded bodies be the same as staff working at the Assembly itself. They say the current pay deal being offered to its members at museums is below inflation at 2 per cent or less.
Museum managers say the average increase is 4.9 per cent but Union officials say this is still way below the 8.3 percent being offered to workers at the Welsh Assembly.
02.04.2008 - Record visitors for Coventry Transport Museum
Coventry Transport Museum has announced a record number of visitors during 2007/8. From April 1 2007 to March 31 2008 333,582 people from all over the UK and abroad visited Coventry’s premier visitor destination.
“Last year the museum had 300,000 visitors so we’re absolutely thrilled to have improved so much on that record figure," said Gary Hall, Chief Executive of Coventry Transport Museum.
"We have an exciting programme of events and temporary exhibitions planned for the rest of this year and into 2009 so we’re confident that numbers will continue to increase. Keep an eye on the museum’s website for details.”
01.04.2008 - Public turn out in their hundreds to see archaeological find
Hundreds of members of the public have visited an archaeological site in Lancashire after workmen unearthed the remains of a Roman roundhouse, thought to date back to the second century.
The find was unearthed five weeks ago as work on a £10m sewer improvement scheme began near Poulton, Lancashire. A team of archaeologists from Oxford Archaeology were called in to oversee the recording of the find, which is especially rare in Lancashire - only two other Roman roundhouses are known of in the county.
Fragments of black burnished ware pottery, thought to date from around the second century, have been found which has helped experts date the roundhouse.
Local people were invited to see the site for themselves on March 31 as part of an open day before the site is covered over once more.
31.03.2008 - Octavia Hill Birthplace Museum triples in size
The museum that celebrates the life and times of social reformer and founder of the National Trust, Octavia Hill, has re-opened after a refurbishment and expansion that has seen it triple in size.
The Octavia Hill Birthplace Museum now occupies two buildings adjacent to the original museum at South Brink Place in Wisbech. The three Grade II listed buildings were formerly a single house where Octavia Hill was born in 1838. Expanded displays include a huge archive of documents, literature and photographs.
An artist and a radical, Octavia Hill was a pioneer of affordable housing and a believer in art and open spaces being made available to all. The National Trust, which she co-founded today, protects over 300 historic properties and keeps 250,000 hectares of land open to all.
In keeping with her principles three offices have been created within the refurbished museum buildings that will be rented to social enterprises.
An £851,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the expansion was bolstered by £200,000 from the Greater Cambridge Partnership Investing in Communities and £250,000 from the European Regional Development Fund to reunify the house.
31.03.2008 - New identity for Scottish museums and galleries body
The organisation that looks after Scotland's museums and galleries has changed its identity, brand and name from the Scottish Museums Council to Museums Galleries Scotland.
The change, which took effect from March 31 2008 has been made to reflect the major role the organisation plays in the widening of access to and care of Scotland’s rich collections.
As the lead body for the funding, development and advocacy of over 340 museums and galleries in Scotland, the organisation has in recent years evolved to become the lead strategic agency for the museum and gallery sector in Scotland and adviser to the Scottish Government on museum and gallery issues.
“We felt this was the opportune moment for us to strengthen our identity and it has certainly been well-timed in light of the changes currently taking place in the Scottish cultural landscape," said Joanne Orr, CEO of Museums Galleries Scotland.
"Strengthening the membership brand in this way will provide an enhanced platform for us to highlight Scotland’s museums and galleries and the invaluable collections they care for. It will ensure that we have a stronger voice for the sector.”
31.03.2008 - London Transport Museum launches its online museum
London Transport Museum has launched its new website - the London Transport Online Museum allowing online visitors the chance to view every object, gallery and label text on display in the newly refurbished museum in Covent Garden.
The new website also has the facility for users to leave memories or stories on all objects on display. Rather than using Wiki software for the submissions, the stories are entered directly onto the website and will be fed back into the collection management system.
Submissions can be viewed by all users as soon as they have passed through moderation process.
31.03.2008 - Arts Council England, London, appoints new Executive Director
Moira Sinclair has been appointed the Executive Director of Arts Council England, London.
Previously Director of Development at the Arts Council's London office, Moira has been Interim Executive Director since December 2007. Before joining the Arts Council in 2005 she was Director of Vital Arts, an award-winning arts and health organisation and has a long track record in theatre.
"It's a fantastic opportunity to work with the artists and arts organisations that make the arts in London a national and international success story," said Moira.
"I also look forward to continuing to work with our partners to ensure the arts are a key feature in the city's day-to-day life, and to improving the opportunities for people across the capital to take part in the broad range of activities we support."
