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Spitfire Voted Top Exhibit In BBC Two People's Museum
By 24 Hour Museum Staff
16/06/2006
Image: photo of a test version of the world war two spitfire fighter plane
The Spitfire from Thinktank. Courtesy Thinktank
Voters have chosen a Supermarine Spitfire as Britain’s favourite museum exhibit in the BBC Two series People’s Museum.
The aeroplane, on show at Thinktank in Birmingham, beat hundreds of other popular artefacts showcased in the programmes, including Bagpuss and the Bouncing Bomb.
The programmes, which ran during Museums and Galleries Month 2006, were a great success with more than 80,000 votes cast for some 70 different objects. The top ten, plus the winner, were announced on Friday 9 June.
Image: photo of a medal complete with a ribbon
The Suffragette Hunger Strike Medal from the Museum of London – in the top five objects at The People’s Museum. Courtesy Museum of London
“We have seen literally hundreds of wonderful items over this fabulous series, and heard some amazing stories – every one of which deserves recognition,” said presenter Paul Martin.
“However I agree that the Spitfire is very special because it’s thanks to this aeroplane – and the team behind it – that the RAF won one of our greatest battles, the Battle of Britain.”
Viewers were asked to vote for their favourite artefacts of the series and the top 20 were placed in a virtual museum on the BBC History website.
Image: a photogarph of a battered ensign
The D-Day flag from the Museum in Doclkands was also nominated for the People's Museum.
“We are absolutely delighted to that the Spitfire has been recognised as such an important element of Britain’s history,” said Jack Kirby, Science & Industry Curator at the Thinktank.
“Birmingham played an important role in the development and production of the Spitfire and we are very proud to have this iconic fighter plane on show at in the Thinktank”
The next most popular items according to the vote were the Suffragette medal from the Museum of London, George Sluman’s D-Day flag from the Museum in Docklands, the painting ‘And When Did You Last See Your Father?’ from the Walker Gallery in Liverpool and Lister’s antiseptic spray from the Royal College of Surgeon’s in Glasgow.
Paul Martin interviewing Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State for Culture at the MGM launch for the final programme in the series.
“This highly interactive, regionally-focused project aimed to re-ignite interest in local museums and galleries,” said series producer Stephen Taylor Woodrow, “and give people a chance to find out more about the treasures they are unlikely to have seen or even heard of, even though they may be just down the road.”
“I hope we have succeeded in that aim and that people will visit the website and go on to enjoy exploring the museums,” he added, “and finding out more on this country’s fascinating history.”
The BBC’s virtual museum of objects from the series can be found at www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/peoplesmuseum
A series of 24 Hour Museum regional trails backed up the People's Museum series by providing viewers with more details on the exhibits from featured museums. You can access them here
Thinktank: Birmingham's science museum
Millennium Point, Curzon Street, Birmingham, B4 7XG, West Midlands, England
T: 0121 202 2222
Open: Thinktank is open seven days a week from 10.00am to 5.00pm with last admissions at 4.00pm.
Closed: Thinktank is closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Museum of London
Museum of London, London Wall, London, EC2Y 5HN, England
T: 0870 444 3852
Open: Museum and Shop opening times:
Open daily 10am to 6pm.
Last admission 5.30pm
Café opening times:
Open 10.00am to 5.00pm
Closed: 24-26 December
Museum of London Docklands
Museum of London Docklands, No. 1 Warehouse, West India Quay, Hertsmere Road, London, E14 4AL, England
T: 0870 444 3855
Open: daily 10am-6pm
Closed: 24-26 December
Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
The Walker Art Gallery, William Brown Street, Liverpool, L3 8EL, Merseyside, England
T: 0151 478 4199
Open: Mon - Sun 1000-1700
Closed: 24 December, from 2pm
25, 26 December
1 January
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