Museum

Show n Tell

Museum, Museums, Volunteering, War

Educate

Salford, 4th September

Iwm Waterside

I’m sat down having Just got home from the Imperial war museum, in Manchester, where i’ve been helping out in the galleries, helping people around.

In this role , i’m occasionally stood by the information station, where various objects to do with the first and second world war are on display

This station is mobile and can move around with its four wheels, around the vast area known as the main exhibition space.

The objects on the information station vary, from gas masks to various headgear, and relate to the large objects around the space.  There are uniforms from modern day conflict as well as those from world war I and II.  As Volunteers, we use the items to introduce visitors to the space as well as putting them at ease with the space they are in – It’s a bit dark in there sometimes.

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Shiny things

Art Gallery, Astronomy, Museum, Museums, Photography
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Salford 16th August 2017

taken by inky like a magpie in summer, and collated for your enjoyment in response to the daily post

Ooh, Shiny!

1. Diamond backed frog with two coins of the realm

2. The Moon, taken from a Salford Sky at Night

3. Plane in the test flight area of the RAF Museum at Cosford

4. Oldham Museum and Art Gallery – with its glass roof

5 .  Coins

6.  Pottery at Salford Museum and art Gallery

7.  Imperial War Museum North’s Metal “Shattered Earth” – Really Shiny on Summer days

Photo Challenge : Path

Home, Life, Museum, Photography

Path

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Salford , 16th January 2017

Picture of the Manchester ship canal’s Centenary Pathway on Salford Quays

Taken on my way home from Imperial War Museum North – on the other side of the water.

It might seem a heck of a hike – but this is the start of my path home from the museum.

bridge

Having crossed over the Millennium Bridge on the Trafford Side, I go over one or two bridges on my way home

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If I follow the Lowry road this takes me to this Crossing – Detroit Bridge, which goes over the largest part of the water basins – Erie.  Its a long stretch, taking in Mediacity (The New Home of the BBC in the North), Harbour City, and the Anchorage

Old Trafford

Depending on which path I take – I pass Manchester United’s Football Ground.  As you can see – this is an old photo but it shows the short distance from the stadium to home – The stadium is at the top of Trafford Road (which changes into Sir Matt Busby Way) whilst I live half way down the road by the Nearby Health Centre.

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Home is just a short walk up the Garden path after I’ve reached the cul-de-sac.

 

 

 

Fashion on the Ration

Arts, Museum, Museums, Volunteering, War

Salford 5th January 2017

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This afternoon, I’ve been helping out at Imperial War Museum North just over the bridge from Salford, by the banks of the Manchester ship canal.

Regular readers will know I help out with the computers on the “Your History” information point and throughout the Main exhibition space.  Well, Today I’ve been directing visitors by the special gallery and giving assistance where necessary.

The special gallery covers the time in British history where clothes were rationed, in order to preserve fuel and resources during war time.

As part of the exhibition – a special handling collection has been created, by some of the volunteers with help from the museum staff.  This is shown on our Information station, where volunteers and veterans talk about specific objects and the tales behind them.

Image result for ww2 utility clothing

 

Two Minute Silence

Historical, Memorial, Museum, Poppy, Remembrance, War

11th November 2016

Imperial War Museum North, Trafford, Manchester

It was Armistice Day today

I was attending Imperial war museum north, in preparation for their Volunteer Celebration Choir with the Museum of Science and Industry and The Manchester Museum

But for Two minutes today – we stood in silence to remember those who fought and were lost in two world wars.

Poppy

We then watched the film , Remembrance, which gave some poignant reminders of why the date is kept, to honour all those fallen in conflict.

The day before, I’d been at my spot in the museum – helping relatives of first world war soldiers remember their relations and share their stories with the nation on the Lives of the First World War Database

Remembrance

Memorial

Remembrance Sunday

Thursday Afternoon 4PM

Food, Life, Museum, Poetry

#Weekendcoffeeshare

Sat in a coffee house of Italian Style

Giving my feet a rest for a while

having traversed the floor of a great gallery

my feet need a rest – and I start to agree

 

I order a late lunch – between two bread rolls

and sit down at table to rest up my soles

and whilst I am waiting – I read a good story

one that is funny and not at all gory

 

And as I wait, the steam it just rises

as barista puts in a cup of surprises

toffee flavour bits in my cocoa of day

a flavour that’s tasty in its own special way

 

But here comes my late lunch – tomatoes and meat

with cheese and salami – a real special treat

and as I tuck in, I’ve enjoyed my day

Sandwich brightening the weather, despite all the grey.

 

New Day of Vollying

Heritage, Historical, History, Memorial, Memories, Military, Museum, Museums

Monday Afternoon saw me returning back over the Bridge to the Home of the Imperial War Museum in the North, on the Trafford side of the Manchester Ship Canal

Paintingiwm

Today has seen me on the Information point Handling trolley, where visitors from all around the country have been able to look at objects and pick them up as the volunteers tell a little bit about the items the visitor is holding and a little about its origins.

These range from a helmet used by the armed forces during the battle of the somme, which was later used in world war II, to a babies gas mask used during world war ii as protection against potential gas attack.

In addition we direct and explain how to go around the big area that makes up the main exhibition space, which holds objects from World war I to Modern day

The Trolley is always of interest to visitors both young and old, because of the interactive nature of the exhibits.  Schoolchildren enjoy hearing about the objects on display.

Unfinished

Exhibit, Exhibits, Exploration, Greece, Heritage, Historical, History, Monuments, Museum, Museums, Poetry

Unfinished

During the sackings of Rome and Greece

The builders fled the construction site

Leaving the temple and markets to birds

As angry protesters had their words

The wreckage that built up was left in the sand

till one day a man from museum had plans

to recover the buildings located by sea

and learn of the heritage of the site for free

A Busman’s Holiday – In Cosford

Heritage, Historical, Museum, Museums, Photography, Travel, War, World War I, World War II

#DiscoverWP

Shared journeys

 

Old Trafford, Manchester , 5th August

Time        :   Zero Nine Hundred Hours.

Location :   Imperial War Museum North, Old Trafford, Manchester

Destination : RAF Museum, Cosford, Shropshire

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Bill by the RAF Twin-propped Bomber – and it wasn’t raining!

Having done the Great Orme (see here) Bill Nigel and me meet up for a trip to the Royal Air Force Museum in Cosford, Shropshire.

Travelling down the M6 from Manchester and then the M42 we reached our destination, despite queues and roadworks.

Upon arriving at RAF Cosford, we enjoy a bite to eat in the form of soup and a roll in the café.  I had the Tomato (V.Nice!)

Then we hit the Galleries.  Each hangar told the tale of planes that flew in the first and second world wars, as well as some of the individuals that took part in their operation.  A mini timeline, similar to that of IWM North’s Main exhibition space (only a lot smaller) told the history of the RAF from its earliest time as the Royal Flying Corps all the way to the role played in more recent conflict in the Middle east.

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Experimental Aircraft

I particularly enjoyed the Test flight Gallery.  This explained the developmental process behind Planes like the Spitfire and the Harrier Jump Jet .

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Nigel taking shots of the aircraft….

War in the Air had both Allied and German Planes on display as we read how they came to be, and their roles in the Battle of Britain and beyond.  I’m pleased to say I saw a Supermarine Spitfire up close whilst walking round the exhibit, and the one I saw was the oldest surviving model in the world

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All planes have to have something to make them tick – and Cosford’s collection delves deep into many of the engines that got them going.

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I also viewed the artillery used by the RAF Regiment – The Air force soldiers who are assigned to protect the airfields.

It was a most enjoyable day – a pin, bookmark and mug – as well as my photos will remind me of viewing some great pieces of aviation history….just need to get the photos off the camera now 🙂

Something for Historical scholars to spot – my pic shows a statue of Lenin in the distance – but can you spot the other Russian leaders in this pic ?

Imperial War Museum (North)

Museum, Poetry

 

Paintingiwm

Imperial War Museum North, painted by the author. (c) Brian F Kirkham

 

A poem on the branch of Imperial War Museum in Trafford, Greater Manchester.

 

Another Earth has Landed on the banks of the canal,
Broken in three by the hammer called War.

You climb the Stair
to reach the pole.
As darkness falls,
on earths remains.

Following a line, commemorating time
that has a start – but has no end
Sounds and smells from the past –
They Greet You.
Shaking you by the hand like an old friend.

The plane at the start, the tales it would tell
of its old friend Lusitania – they’ve salvaged its bell.
It’s Just past the smell of sweet poison gas,
you carry on walking and pass the old ass.
feeling your way through the trenches of deep
hoping you don’t wake all the rats that are asleep

The T-34 stands just round a bend,
a stones throw away,
from its nuclear friend,
telling the tales of it winning great battles.
The Cossacks roar out as the tanks tracks it rattles

And the Trabant car from Germany
stands out and tall
as you read of what happened
on both sides of th’ wall

Uniforms stand
in the windows to attention,
as you read of who wore them
– it is worth a mention.

And you read of the colours,
the flags of the men
who are remembered here proudly,
never seen of again.

And You wear the tin helmet
worn by the men
fighting fires wi’ red engines
in fives and in tens.

You land in their place
and think what would you do ?
As you read of the stories
from wars one and of two

 

Other poems on IWM North

Little Ol’ Red – https://inkdropblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/16/little-ol-red-2/

A Humble Design – https://inkdropblog.wordpress.com/2016/04/28/a-humble-design/

Harrier – https://inkdropblog.wordpress.com/2015/10/15/harrier/

Tale of a Balloon https://inkdropblog.wordpress.com/2016/01/10/tale-of-a-balloon/

Dazzle – https://inkdropblog.wordpress.com/2015/11/28/dazzle-2

Russian Tank – https://inkdropblog.wordpress.com/2015/10/15/the-russian-tank/

Little white car – https://inkdropblog.wordpress.com/2015/10/15/the-little-white-car/