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News In Brief - Week Ending January 21 2008
By 24 Hour Museum Staff
14/01/2008
Welcome to the 24 Hour Museum news in brief page for the week ending January 21 2008.
Image: drawing of boys as cats
18.01.2008 - Leeds kids learn the art of being a cool cat at Leeds Art Gallery
A youth group from Bramley, Leeds, have created a large-scale comic artwork depicting parts of their lives at Leeds Art Gallery…the only difference is that they have all been drawn as cats.
West Leeds Youth Inclusion Project has been working with Leeds City Council in a series of comic art workshops, designed to give the young people a fun experience of Leeds Art Gallery – where most had never visited before. The aim of the art workshops was to help overcome preconceptions that Leeds Art Gallery was ‘not relevant to them’.
The group from the Fairfields Estate worked with comic artist Jim Medway, whose CV boasts exhibitions at The Lowry in Manchester, as well as venues in Edinburgh, Newcastle and London.
“I'm pleased to be involved with this friendly, positive and creative group of young people," said Jim. "Their response to both the gallery and the comics workshops we've been doing suggests they are keen to continue visiting galleries, and try their hands at all kinds of art forms."
18.01.2008 - Ringo Starr donates specs to Holocaust memorial sculpture in Liverpool
Ex-Beatle Ringo Starr has contributed a pair of his glasses to a sculpture in memory of the Holocaust, to be unveiled at Liverpool Town Hall on Monday, January 21.
The sculpture, consisting of nearly 100,000 pairs of donated spectacles, recalls an image of piles of mangled glasses that told of the sheer scale of murder committed in the Holocaust. The work goes under the title of RESPECtacles, and is intended to raise awareness of the part that we can still play in preventing genocide, by showing respect for human beings.
The collected glasses will be donated to people in the developing world after the exhibition, which ends on January 26 2008. You can still donate your unwanted glasses to the project at any Liverpool library, One Stop Shop or at the Town Hall before the unveiling on Monday.
18.01.2008 - Culture Secretary announces World Collections Programme to share British expertise
Culture Secretary James Purnell today announced the World Collections Programme, a £3m initiative to be chaired by the internationally renowned Director of the British Museum, Neil MacGregor.
The World Collections Programme will share the best of British cultural excellence and expertise with museums in Africa and Asia.
It will bring together collections in the UK, including those in the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Library, the Natural History Museum, the Tate and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in a unique initiative that could include staff exchanges, sharing expertise and conservation technology, and loaning works. The programme will build on the six collections’ existing international collaborations.
Neil MacGregor, who personally negotiated the temporary loan of the Chinese terracotta warriors to the British Museum for its current blockbuster show, is the UK’s leading authority on international cultural affairs. He also has a track record of establishing relationships with cultural institutions in countries including Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia and China.
“We live in a shrinking world with more contact between cultures and countries than ever before," said James Purnell. "We need to learn how to live side by side, giving dignity to our differences and understanding our similarities. London’s museums are one of the best places in the world to understand those different cultures. But we can deepen that understanding by creating connections with other museums around the world.”
Image: photo of three young women, one holding a guitar, on board a vintage tram
18.01.2008 - All-girl band donate memorabilia to Manx Museum
Three members of Manx all-girl band, Twisted Angels, dropped into the Manx Museum recently to hand over items of music memorabilia for the museum’s collections.
Andrea, Ami and Steph took time out from their busy schedules to drop off the guitar, cymbal and items of stage gear, all of which had been used by the band at various gigs on the Island and in the UK.
“We were delighted when we heard that the band was willing to donate some items to us," said Nicola Tooms, Assistant Curator at Manx National Heritage. "Museums are not just about the past; part of our job is to collect items which illustrate or represent life on the Island today. One aspect of this is the very vibrant local music scene from which up to now, we have had relatively few objects.”
It's not certain if Cliff Richard is a musical influence on the band or not, but the three chirpy rock stars seemed happy enough to pose aboard the museum’s vintage horse tram in an homage to Cliff’s epic Summer Holiday!
Image: a photo of a blue lit interior corridor with a screen at one end
17.01.2008 - Culloden battlefield transformation nearly complete as old visitor centre is demolished
The new visitor centre at the Culloden battlefield site is to temporarily close from 4pm Sunday January 20 2008 to allow for the demolition of the old visitor centre and ensure the safety of visitors and staff. The centre will re-open again on January 28 2008.
Recent archaeological and historical research by the National Trust for Scotland has discovered that the old centre sits on the third government troop line. Its removal will allow staff at the site to return the old battlefield site to as close to its original condtion as possible.
The bloody Battle of Culloden on April 16 1746, marked the fall of the Jacobite rebellion of 1745, which sought to restore the Stuart monarchy to the throne.
The new visitor centre, which features state of the art interactives and tells this bloody story and its aftermath, opened in late 2007 after technical problems delayed its original summer 2007 opening. An official opening for the new centre is due to take place in early spring 2008.
17.01.2008 - Manchester museum buys Halle conductor's suit
The ceremonial suit worn by much-loved Halle conductor John Barbirolli when he collected his knighthood in 1949 has been bought by the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI).
The suit includes a velvet jacket, court shoes with buckles, hat, and a dress sword with scabbard, which will be temporarily displayed in the Collections Centre, as part of this year’s 150-year celebrations of the Halle Orchestra.
Image: a photograph of a horse in a field
16.01.2008 - Storytelling bonanza at National Coal Mining Museum for England
As part of National Storytelling Week, families visiting the National Coal Mining Museum for England are to be treated to a one day only Storytelling Spectacular, on Sunday January 27 2008.
Visitors to the Yorkshire museum will hear all about the adventures of the museum’s shire horse, Colonel (pictured) and take part in the stories by making their own pit pony puppet.
The sessions are suitable for all the family and children will be able to get right into the spirit of things by dressing up in mining clothes and handling mining-related objects.
Sessions will take place at 1.00pm, 2.00pm and 3.00pm on Sunday January 28, and can be booked on arrival.
16.01.2008 - Kent nun's prayers answered as English Heritage funds tower repair
Work to restore the tower of an important Kent nunnery is due to start thanks to a grant from English Heritage.
The Grade I Abbey church of Minster, also known as St Mildred’s Priory, is one of the oldest homes in England to be inhabited.
The Saxon tower was one of the two west towers of the church, the extent of which is still visible in the grass, but for the 13 sisters living next to it, it has become a problem as water seeps towards their accommodation. Now English Heritage has promised funding of £40,500 to pay for repairs.
“We are really delighted," said Sub Prioress Sister Benedict Gaughan. "It can be very hard for people like us to get funds for this sort of thing but it took less than a year to arrange this and it is fantastic news. We have been very anxious about water getting into our home.”
Work is currently underway. “We have all the plans and are looking forward to getting this work done by Easter," added Sister Gaughan.
Image: a photo of a thimble-like object with holes in both ends
15.01.2008 - Petersfield Museum acquires 17th century thimble
Petersfield Museum has recently acquired a silver 17th Century sewing ring. The design of the piece is similar to a thimble, but has the top removed.
Found in Stroud by a metal detectorist the ring was reported through a local Finds Liaisons Officer working for the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS).
After being declared treasure under the Treasure Act by experts at the British Museum it was offered to the local museum for purchase. Most treasure is defined as objects containing at least 10% precious metal that is at least 300 years old when found.
"The Museum is very pleased to have been offered this piece for the collection," said Sara Sadler, Curator at Petersfield Museum. "Some further research is being undertaken and a fuller account of its history will be given in a 2008 display."
Image: a black and white photo of a smiling man with a moustache
15.01.2008 - Elgar sculpture planned for birthplace museum
Museum directors at the Elgar Birthplace Museum are currently seeking planning permission to install a life size statue of the famous composer.
The statue of Malvern's most famous son would depict Elgar seated on a bench and gazing over the Malvern Hills, which provided such an inspiration during his life.
The Elgar Foundation have secured the talents of Herefordshire sculptor Jemma Pearson to create the statue.
15.01.2008 - Funding secured for county archaeologist in Denbighshire
Denbighshire County Council’s Heritage Service has secured lottery funding for a two-year community archaeology project.
The funding will allow a community archaeologist to be based at Rhyl Museum who will work with Denbighshire, Wrexham and Flintshire’s museum services to complete hands-on work, give talks to community groups on the importance of archaeology and preserve and record finds.
Image: a photo of a large sculpted spider
14.01.2008 - Tate acquires Louise Bourgeois’s giant spider, Maman
Tate has acquired Louise Bourgeois’s celebrated sculpture of a giant female spider, Maman 1999, as a gift of the artist and an anonymous benefactor.
Standing more than nine metres high, Maman is a unique steel and marble sculpture from which an edition of six bronzes were subsequently cast by the artist. It first made an appearance as part of Bourgeois’s inaugural commission for The Unilever Series for Tate Modern’s vast Turbine Hall in 2000.
A bronze version of Maman (pictured) is currently on display outside Tate Modern, as part of the major Louise Bourgeois retrospective which runs until January 20 2008 and which has proved to be one of the most popular exhibitions of sculpture at Tate.
“To acquire Maman, one of Louise Bourgeois’s best-known and seminal works, the largest of her Spider sculptures, is an historic moment for Tate," said Vicente Todolí, Director of Tate Modern. "This work significantly enhances our holdings of the work of one of the world’s greatest living sculptors.”
Louise Bourgeois, now 96, is regarded as one of the most important artists working today. Over the course of seven decades, her work has ranged in scale from small obsessively-worked objects to large installations such as the Cells of the 1980s and 1990s. She is, however, perhaps best-known for her Spiders.
14.01.2008 - Harris Museum gets a makeover
The Harris Museum in Preston is currently undergoing a £200,000 restoration that will see its stonework and external architecture preserved, cleaned and repaired.
The work, which will take until March 2008, is designed to bring the Victorian landmark building back to its former glory. Both the museum and library will be open as normal throughout the work.
14.01.2008 - Birth, marriages and deaths index goes online
The National Archives has agreed free onsite internet access to the birth, deaths and marriages indexes, through findmypast.com, the UK family history website.
Users at The National Archives´ Kew site, and on the first floor of the Family Records Centre in Myddleton Street, up until 15 March 2008, will have free access to the digitised indexes, for an initial one-year trial period.
"The National Archives is always looking to improve its services, and develop customer experience," said James Strachan, Head of Public Services and Marketing at The National Archives.
"Following numerous requests from the public, we have come to this agreement with findmypast.com which enables us to get even closer to providing a comprehensive family history service."
14.01.2008 - Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal to be UK's next bid for world heritage status
Culture Secretary James Purnell has announced that Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal - 'a magnificent masterpiece of the canal age' - is to be UK's next bid for world heritage status.
Among the world's most renowned and spectacular achievements in aquatic engineering, if succesful the aquaduct and canal will join the other 27 UK World Heritage Sites including Stonehenge, the Giant's Causeway, and the old and new towns of Edinburgh.
"The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal is truly a masterpiece from the canal age in the UK," said Mr Purnell. "It is also a magnificent example of our living heritage, remaining one of the busiest stretches of canal in the UK, with some 15,000 boat crossings every year."
UNESCO, who are responsible for the scheme, will now examine the proposal and make a final decision next year.
For more information on Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal see www.wrexham.gov.uk/aqueduct
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