London Museums
Okay so the other week I visited three museums in London - I don't really have many pictures from said visits because the exhibitions were mostly no photos, but eh.
British Museum
I went for the Sunken Cities exhibition (because Egypt is still really interesting with new stuff appearing all the time and there is so much not known, but still kinda in tact, just hidden).
It was good. It wasn't stunning? But it was good. There were some really nice bit and pieces, and there was an exploration of the way Rome and Macedonia interacted with other faiths (seriously, there was none of this 'one true version' stuff they merged things and celebrated both, though some of the parallels are based on story rather than what the deity was god of (so Osiris = Dionysus......)though yeah they all had issues with monotheist religions, but that wasn't covered in/relevant to this exhibition) from what they have found at the sites the exhibition covered.
Lots of v pretty sculptures. Only a small selection of other stuff, and some iffy layout choices but also pretty eyelines through things so a mixed bag.
And there was a lot of dresses that leave boobs hanging out. (Two old white dudes were snarking about this while I side eyed them. Seriously, why is it a problem? They had no issues with the amount of phallic imagery, but boobs? gasp NO.)
Also gay Hadrian which I have someone been unaware of until now? His lover died in the Nile during a Osiris ceremony, so he made him a god. A god that was worshipped widely years after Hadrian died. (while Hadrian was just the name of a wall *coughs*)
-
Post 40mins in the exhibition I went for my normal amble through the British galleries (to say hi to no longer a surprise in the corner Lindow Man and take pictures of the Lewis Chessmen because I read The Sleeping Army which featured them heavily). And then the awkward this is kinda not quite ethically displayed (though see Lindow Man on that too) Egyptian Mummy bit. Yay.
Museum of London
So Fire of London (the 1666 one, because there were others) exhibition - it was interesting. There was a mix of finds, and I did a lot of sketches in my notebook while resisting the urge to take over from teachers and make kids behave.
I visited monday mid morning. I knew this would mean school kids (unlike the last exhibition which was a 18+ only so no kids) but MAN so many schools/teachers fail at museum visits. I remember going to museums and being fairly sedate and having things to do and being interested and respecting the people who were also there.
I got punched by three different children. Twice in front of teachers. Did the teachers do anything? Nope. I also had a bunch shove in front of me/fling themselves dramatically over do not touch exhibits - and I just. Those kids got nothing out of that expensive field trip? The teachers didn't even tell them to remember and try to respect the other visitors.
On the other hand the fourth school (jewish school, same age group as the others) were REALLY good. They were quiet, were asking questions and taking the exhibition in. They had been told to mind the other people in the room, apologised if they entered your space and were engaged. I almost informed one of the teachers that they had very good kids and managed them v well. (After giving three other teachers death glares that made them blush and shift off without controlling the kid that was misbehaving *face palm*)
BUT other than manic school kids, it was v interesting. Lots of little touches - with the setting in history/what else was happening, the fact people gave money more willing then than now for such situations and the international view points. Oh and the King and his brother were very postiively involved for monarchs.
And the brackets on buildings were pretty (four curves, so surreal bearded EE cup men holding up roofs *nods* impressive detailed wood carvings. No idea why they had to be male mind....apart from to get comments from people *heh*)
I did a brief skim of the edge of the museum to see if things had changed (a tiny bit - the trans skeleton has gone away :( so I couldn't re-read the information). Then I mourned the lack of a book of the exhibition and headed to the underground again.
V&A Museum of Childhood
So I wanted to go to this museum because of the massively promoted exhibition on the Clangers and Ivor (Ivor the Engine and Noggin the Nog <3 seriously, we got decent new clangers, which still shocks me, but no repeats of these amazing shows :()
Sadly, the exhibition was tiny (seriously, four cases and a mock living room. In a mock shed. Given how much they pushed it, they really didn't put themselves out. It wasn't even in their exhibition space, just the lobby? So weird) I do however need to get my hands on a copy of the Smallfilms book - it so pretty and it has more stuff in it than the exhibition.
It was nice to see Bagpuss in person, and most of his little friends, but it lacked any real heart as an exhibition so underwhelming.
I then had a wander around the actual museum (having not been before) - there's lots of massive cases full of toys, vaguely ordered, and that's it?
Really the museum is a massive playground for kids. If you have kids/grandkids and want to take them somewhere free and fun in London? Take them to this museum. There is a sand pit, puppets, a kitchen set up, dressing up, mini climbing frame things etc. If you have small kids, it's a great place.
Bethnall Green underground station is literally a small park away from the Museum of Childhood. Said park was full of grey squirrels. Which I may have stalked with the camera and pissed off a little (but I did not get attacked, so you know, I don't bother them that much :) - I just lots of odd looks from the locals :D)
This entry was originally posted at http://weaselett.dreamwidth.org/25528.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
British Museum
I went for the Sunken Cities exhibition (because Egypt is still really interesting with new stuff appearing all the time and there is so much not known, but still kinda in tact, just hidden).
It was good. It wasn't stunning? But it was good. There were some really nice bit and pieces, and there was an exploration of the way Rome and Macedonia interacted with other faiths (seriously, there was none of this 'one true version' stuff they merged things and celebrated both, though some of the parallels are based on story rather than what the deity was god of (so Osiris = Dionysus......)though yeah they all had issues with monotheist religions, but that wasn't covered in/relevant to this exhibition) from what they have found at the sites the exhibition covered.
Lots of v pretty sculptures. Only a small selection of other stuff, and some iffy layout choices but also pretty eyelines through things so a mixed bag.
And there was a lot of dresses that leave boobs hanging out. (Two old white dudes were snarking about this while I side eyed them. Seriously, why is it a problem? They had no issues with the amount of phallic imagery, but boobs? gasp NO.)
Also gay Hadrian which I have someone been unaware of until now? His lover died in the Nile during a Osiris ceremony, so he made him a god. A god that was worshipped widely years after Hadrian died. (while Hadrian was just the name of a wall *coughs*)
-
Post 40mins in the exhibition I went for my normal amble through the British galleries (to say hi to no longer a surprise in the corner Lindow Man and take pictures of the Lewis Chessmen because I read The Sleeping Army which featured them heavily). And then the awkward this is kinda not quite ethically displayed (though see Lindow Man on that too) Egyptian Mummy bit. Yay.
Museum of London
So Fire of London (the 1666 one, because there were others) exhibition - it was interesting. There was a mix of finds, and I did a lot of sketches in my notebook while resisting the urge to take over from teachers and make kids behave.
I visited monday mid morning. I knew this would mean school kids (unlike the last exhibition which was a 18+ only so no kids) but MAN so many schools/teachers fail at museum visits. I remember going to museums and being fairly sedate and having things to do and being interested and respecting the people who were also there.
I got punched by three different children. Twice in front of teachers. Did the teachers do anything? Nope. I also had a bunch shove in front of me/fling themselves dramatically over do not touch exhibits - and I just. Those kids got nothing out of that expensive field trip? The teachers didn't even tell them to remember and try to respect the other visitors.
On the other hand the fourth school (jewish school, same age group as the others) were REALLY good. They were quiet, were asking questions and taking the exhibition in. They had been told to mind the other people in the room, apologised if they entered your space and were engaged. I almost informed one of the teachers that they had very good kids and managed them v well. (After giving three other teachers death glares that made them blush and shift off without controlling the kid that was misbehaving *face palm*)
BUT other than manic school kids, it was v interesting. Lots of little touches - with the setting in history/what else was happening, the fact people gave money more willing then than now for such situations and the international view points. Oh and the King and his brother were very postiively involved for monarchs.
And the brackets on buildings were pretty (four curves, so surreal bearded EE cup men holding up roofs *nods* impressive detailed wood carvings. No idea why they had to be male mind....apart from to get comments from people *heh*)
I did a brief skim of the edge of the museum to see if things had changed (a tiny bit - the trans skeleton has gone away :( so I couldn't re-read the information). Then I mourned the lack of a book of the exhibition and headed to the underground again.
V&A Museum of Childhood
So I wanted to go to this museum because of the massively promoted exhibition on the Clangers and Ivor (Ivor the Engine and Noggin the Nog <3 seriously, we got decent new clangers, which still shocks me, but no repeats of these amazing shows :()
Sadly, the exhibition was tiny (seriously, four cases and a mock living room. In a mock shed. Given how much they pushed it, they really didn't put themselves out. It wasn't even in their exhibition space, just the lobby? So weird) I do however need to get my hands on a copy of the Smallfilms book - it so pretty and it has more stuff in it than the exhibition.
It was nice to see Bagpuss in person, and most of his little friends, but it lacked any real heart as an exhibition so underwhelming.
I then had a wander around the actual museum (having not been before) - there's lots of massive cases full of toys, vaguely ordered, and that's it?
Really the museum is a massive playground for kids. If you have kids/grandkids and want to take them somewhere free and fun in London? Take them to this museum. There is a sand pit, puppets, a kitchen set up, dressing up, mini climbing frame things etc. If you have small kids, it's a great place.
Bethnall Green underground station is literally a small park away from the Museum of Childhood. Said park was full of grey squirrels. Which I may have stalked with the camera and pissed off a little (but I did not get attacked, so you know, I don't bother them that much :) - I just lots of odd looks from the locals :D)
This entry was originally posted at http://weaselett.dreamwidth.org/25528.html. Please comment there using OpenID.