Welcome to the 24 Hour Museum news in brief page for the week ending June 29 2008.

27.06.2008 Connery visits Scotland’s oldest printed book

Sir Sean Connery visited the National Library of Scotland this week to have a sneak preview of the summer exhibition, Imprentit: 500 years of the Scottish Printed Word.

During his visit, Sir Sean saw a host of treasures from across the centuries, showing the printed history of Scotland in education, literature, politics, religion and science.

It was the second time that Sir Sean has been to the National Library, following on from last year's visit to see the John Murray Archive. He was particularly interested in the works of James VI and the Proclamation of the Dissolution of the Scottish Parliament from 1707.

Minister for Culture, Linda Fabiani said: "Literature and a love of the printed word has always featured strongly in Scottish life, I am delighted to open this exhibition which showcases our literary treasures from the past 500 years. With such a range of wonderful material on display it will be sure to attract many visitors over the summer."

The exhibition is open to the public on June 27, closing October 12. For further information on the National Library of Scotland go to www.nls.uk

26.06.2008 - Secretary of State announces £1.5 million leadership seed fund

Andy Burnham, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has announced a £1.5 million leadership seed fund to go towards the Cultural Leadership Programme’s (CLP) Meeting the Challenge Development Programme.

The aim of the programme is to facilitate and encourage cultural and creative industries to take ownership of the opportunity for change, and to strengthen and embed leadership development from within.

He announced the funding at the Vision 2020 conference, hosted by the CLP and emphasized the importance of excellence in leadership within the creative and cultural sectors.

“Our Meeting The Challenge report, launched earlier this year, put forward ten priorities for cultural and creative organisations to adopt if the sector is to continue to thrive and remain a major force in the UK economy,” explained Hilary Carty, Director of the CLP and co-author of Meeting the Challenge.

“The CLP is now making tangible the aspirations of that report through the Meeting The Challenge Development Programme.”

The Development Programme is designed to respond directly to the capacity development issues of leadership within the cultural and creative sectors, and will provide seed funds to support organisations in meeting their leadership development needs.

26.06.2008 - National Museum Wales takes death, destruction and dinosaurs into schools

As the centenary of one of the most famous meteorite impacts approaches, a new and innovative project between Amgueddfa Cymru (National Museum Wales) and Cardiff university is teaching students about the three D’s – death, destruction and dinosaurs – to help them engage with science.

One century ago, at 07:17 on June 30 1908, a massive explosion occurred in the air above Tunguska, Siberia, causing devastation over 2,000 square kilometres of forest and flattening around 80 million trees. The effects were felt and seen all over Europe.

Now students in Wales are being given the opportunity to learn more about meteorites, impacts and rocks from the moon in a project run by Amgueddfa Cymru (National Museum Wales) and Faulkes Telescope Project at Cardiff University. 11 to 16 year olds throughout Wales will be able to handle real meteorites and measure the size of impact craters on different planets.

"Some students find science and maths difficult and boring," said Dr Paul Roche of Cardiff University. "We hope that by showing students exciting scientific examples, like the death of dinosaurs, they will understand how relevant their school work can be."

26.06.2008 - Personality disorders on the big screen at Science Oxford

On Wednesday July 9, Science Oxford is inviting the public to explore the nature of personality disorders with the help of writer and broadcaster Rita Carter, author of ‘Multiplicity – The Groundbreaking New Science of Personality’

To book tickets or find out more about events and exhibitions at Science Oxford, visit www.scienceoxford.com or call 01865 728953.

25.06.2008 - Steve McQueen to represent Britain at Venice Biennale

The artist Steve McQueen has been chosen to represent Britain at the 2009 Venice Biennale.

Turner Prize winning McQueen was chosen by a selection panel organised by Arts Council England. He will be the first artist working primarily in the medium of film to represent Britain at what is regarded as the most important date in the international art calendar.

Andrea Rose, head of visual arts at the British Council, and chair of the selection panel explained their choice and why film is an important medium in contemporary British art.

"The jury felt that is one of the leading strengths in British art, and that Steve McQueen's innovative approach has made him one of the leading exponents," said Rose. "McQueen's powerful and emotive work both challenges and inspires audiences to reflect upon the world in which we live."

24.06.2008 - HLF and The Art Fund help purchase Glasgow Boy painting

An important work of Scottish art, ‘Stirling Station’ by William Kennedy, will go on display to the public for the first time thanks to a grant of £150,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

It will initially be on view as part of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum’s Glasgow Boys collection before forming a key part of the Riverside Museum of Transport exhibition when it opens.

William Kennedy was a core member of the Glasgow Boys between 1880 – 1900 and his works are typical of their style. Dating from 1888, ‘Stirling Station’ is unique in that it is thought to be the only painting of a railway station by one of the Glasgow Boys whose subjects were mostly rural labour, bourgeois domestic pursuits and landscapes.

The painting was purchased for just under £237,000. In addition to HLF funding, The Art Fund gave a grant of £35,000 with the remaining amount coming from local and museum funds.

24.06.2008 - Antony Gormley and Yinka Shonibare to design sculptures for the fourth plinth

Members of the public are to be 'living sculptures' on the fourth plinth in London's Trafalgar Square after Antony Gormley and Yinka Shonibare were announced by Mayor of London Boris Johnson as the winning artists of the next commission.

Gormley’s proposal One and Other is for the Fourth Plinth to be occupied for 100 consecutive days, 24 hours a day, by members of the public who have volunteered to stand on it for an hour at a time. Over this period it is estimated that 2,400 people would take part.

Yinka Shonibare’s proposal, Nelson's Ship in a Bottle, is a replica of Nelson’s ship, HMS Victory, in a giant glass bottle with sails made of patterned textiles commonly associated with Africa and bought from Brixton market in London.

'It was obviously a tough decision; all of the shortlisted proposals had their own merits," said Boris Johnson.

"But I am very excited about the prospect of real people standing on the plinth, in one of the great public squares of the world; and I think it is an incredible idea to have a modern depiction of Nelson's boat that will be gazed upon by a statue of the great admiral himself."

The selection was made by the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group, which is chaired by Ekow Eshun, artistic director of the Institute of Contemporary Art, London.

The projects will now enter development phases during which delivery and project management details will be finalised.

23.06.2008 - SS Robin to embark on historic journey

SS Robin, the world’s oldest complete steamship, will leave West India Dock, Canary Wharf on June 28 at the start of a conservation programme to transform her into the capital’s newest visitor landmark.

The Victorian coastal cargo steamer will venture into the Thames Estuary and the North Sea on a 150 nautical mile journey to drydock in Lowestoft, Suffolk, where she will undergo essential repairs to her historic riveted steel structure.

Six months later she will return to her home berth to continue her role as an innovative learning centre, dedicated to helping disadvantaged schoolchildren from the East End of London.

“Moving a vessel nearly 120 years old is risky at the best times, without taking on the uncertainties of the Thames Estuary and coastal waters of the North Sea," said David Kampfner, Project Director with the SS Robin Trust. "But we are confident she will come through it with flying colours.”

Funding for the steamship’s refit is the result of a £1.9 million loan from Crossrail, the new east-west railway for the capital, which is set to begin work within the dock on a new station in 2009.

23.06.2008 - Bletchley lecture will unravel the mysteries of Turing

The annual Turing Lecture and dinner at Bletchley Park will take place on Thursday July 10 and will feature Dr Andrew Hodges discussing some of the unresolved issues that have come to the forefront as historians strive to understand the development of Alan Turing’s thinking.

For many years, Alan Turing remained a completely mysterious figure in the origin of modern computing because of the secrecy concerning his wartime work at Bletchley Park. Relaxation of that secrecy has allowed many questions to be answered, but new problems have opened up.

Dr Hodges is a tutor in Mathematics and Fellow of Wadham College, University of Oxford. He is best known for his biography ‘Alan Turing: The Enigma’ which appeared in 1983, and for numerous further articles on Turing’s life and work.

The cost of the lecture and dinner is £52 per person (no concessions). To book a place send a cheque made payable to ‘Bletchley Park Trust Ltd’ to Victoria Pether, The Mansion, Bletchley Park, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK3 6EB. For more information phone 01908 640404.