Tuesday, August 28, 2012

We're ready to go!


The walls are painted, the floor is going down, the designs are signed off. RS, our gallery fit out contractors, are working off-site building our new displays and showcases are being made. Text is being written, images chosen, objects cleaned and mounted. Over the next two months Wakefield’s new museum will start to grow at Wakefield One.

Watch this space because it’s filling up!
View of the museum entrance
The main gallery is taking shape


Inside the Front Room

Entrance to the Temporary Exhibition Gallery

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Dressing up - a preview!

We have commissioned some costumes for trying on in the new museum, based on items in the collection. 

One of the dresses is a really unusual Victorian wedding dress (showing that wedding dresses were not all white).

Our dress-up version has cheats so that it can be easily fastened to be worn over the top of ordinary clothing (rather than a corset!).  It still needs the blue braid and fringing adding to it, but we thought you might like to see the work in progress.


Original Victorian wedding dress
Our dress-up version (in progress - fringing to be added!)

Monday, August 13, 2012

News from the Stores

Conservation work for the new museum is well underway, but with so many objects coming on display for the first time, there is a lot to do!  Although our conservator, Mary Macqueen, is getting help from external conservators for the specialist work, the enormous workload has given us a fantastic opportunity to also involve work experience students.   

This photograph shows Alice Galloway, a conservation student from Lincoln University, cleaning one of the objects which will be seen in the new museum.  Alice is working alongside Mary, gaining valuable real-life museum experience which will help her in her studies – and giving us an extra pair of hands at this very busy time!

Conservation student, Alice Galloway cleaning a 1960s Dansette record player for display in The Front Room.
Alice Galloway says:
“I have had a fantastic time working on the materials for the new museum, working under a very experienced conservator with a real sense of the value of the work being done. It will be great to be able to come back later and see the museum when it opens - and perhaps bring other students with me!”

Sue Thomas, Principal Lecturer in the School of Art and Design, Lincoln University, visited last week to assess the placement and said:
“It is really good to have the co-operation of a museum service such as Wakefield Council's, especially when they can still offer a student this very valuable experience during this period of change. We hope to continue with the links for the future.”

Alice has worked on a range of objects during her time with us, including the wonderful signed cricket bat we already reported on.  See the before and after photos and spot the difference!


Before cleaning
After cleaning by Alice, our work placement student

Monday, August 6, 2012

Rugby Legend Lends a Hand


We met record breaking rugby hero Neil Fox today to look through some of the objects he has amassed during his decorated and much celebrated career with Wakefield Trinity. Neil, originally from Sharlston and whose two brothers Peter and Don were also Trinity players,  played in the legendary team which won League, Challenge and Yorkshire cup finals throughout the 1960s. Over a career that spanned three decades he scored 6,220 points, more than any other player. He also played and toured with Yorkshire, England and Great Britain.

Neil is very kindly lending some of his hard won medals, his Lance Todd trophy and International caps. These items will help us create a rugby display which will celebrate Trinity’s 1960s golden age.

Neil Fox and Wildcats General Manager Davide Longo with some of the items to be displayed in Wakefield Museum