#thethingaboutme Pop-up Museum

We want to say A BIG THANK YOU to all the participants, volunteers and staff who made our first pop-up museum such a fun day. We managed to dodge the rain drops and some amazing objects were brought in. The event was quite experimental as it involved a great deal of input from the participants. You had to think what you might bring, what you would say about it and having done all that, you had to actually bring it along on the day. We were amazed and pleased by the number of people who brought things along, and told their stories. 

Some mini-themes appeared in the objects that were brought along.

1. Childhood bears (and foxes)

Foxy, collected by Gemma c. 1970's

Brumas, collected by Norma 1950

Harry, collected by Geoff 1956

2. Things that belonged to Grandparents, Great-Grandparents and other relatives.

A radio and tape player, collected by Keith.  Previously owned by Keith's Grandad. Listen to an Audioboo of the tapeplayer in action here.

Chocolate Tin c. 1914. Collected by Paul, previously owned by his Great Uncle. The tin contained details of a convoy he followed across Europe, working as a journalist during The Great War.

Brownie camera, collected by Tracey previously owned by her Grandad.

An album of cigarette cards, c.1920's, collected by Cicily, previously owned by  Uncle Albert Turner

3. Handmade things 

Black Cat made by Amy's mum c.1986

Collection of soldiers, hand painted by Susannah

Higgy the papier mache monster made by Katie

K9 handbag made by Victoria

This is just a snapshot of the amazing array of things brought in, which also included wedding dresses, photo albums, scrap books, hair dye, a bicycle, things brought back from travels, things made by prisoners of war, lollipop makers and much more. Thank you all again for making it such a great day. We've gathered together a few of the tweets and twitpics from the day.

If you came along on the day - please email, tweet or facebook us to let us know what you thought. What can we do better?

What's a Pop-up museum?

On Saturday 5th May we will be holding a pop-up museum - The Thing About me - to celebrate the launch of our new name and brand. Read more about the new name in our new leaflet here. The event runs from 11am - 4pm, on the lawn in front The Higgins.

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The idea of a pop-up museum has been around for a few years although interpretations of what one is have differed. Some pop-up museums use real museum artefacts but take them out to new locations. Other pop-up museums use objects brought along by the public – so the audience makes the museum. The inspiration for The Thing About Me came from a blog post by museum thinker, Nina Simon. The post highlighted the work of Michelle DelCarlo who has been deploying pop-up museums in America and since April 2011.  Michelle states ‘the mission of the Pop-Up Museum is to create conversations between people of all ages and walks of life.’

The idea of The Thing About Me is that you bring along an thing that means something to you. Maybe it is something that you've had on your desk or shelf for more years then you can remember, a gift from a loved one or a childhood toy. It doesn't matter what it is, just as long as it is something you love.

A pop-up museum is a museum that only lasts for one day, and it can't exist without you. We'd like you to write a museum style label for your thing, maybe have a go at writing a label for someone else's thing. Imagine all of the different stories that can be told about one simple object. Who made it? When? How? Why? How did it get here? Why do you like it? Why have you kept it? We want to encourage everyone to share their passion with others at the pop-up museum, and make it a day to remember.

Cllr Doug McMurdo, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, at Bedford Borough Council, said: “There are no rules for a pop-up museum; the simple aim is to start conversations with all sorts of people, about the things that individuals cherish. It will be a fascinating event, as no-one can know in advance what items will turn up!”

The Thing About Me is the first of 3 pop-up museums we'll be holding in the coming months. We're also going to be popping up for Refugee Week, Tuesday 19th June, 11am - 6pm, Harpur Square, Bedford.

And we'll be popping up again for the International Olympicnic and Pop-up Museum, Saturday 4th August, 12 - 4pm, International Athletics Stadium, Barkers Lane, Bedford.

We hope to see you there!

What's going on at The Higgins Art Gallery & Museum, Bedford?

Hello folks, our new leaflet is out now! It is the first one to feature our new name and logo. Even better, you can flick through the pages online, and find out about all of our upcoming events and latest news!

Also - our blog address has changed in line with the new name - we are at www.thehigginsbedford.blogspot.co.uk

Open publication - Free publishing - More art gallery

The Higgins Art Gallery & Museum, Bedford

We are very pleased to be able to unveil our new name and brand, The Higgins Art Gallery & Museum, Bedford.The new name and brand for the former Cecil Higgins Art Gallery & Bedford Museum brings a fresh new look and provides a glimpse of what is to come when we reopen in Spring 2013. They mark a new beginning for the art gallery and museum, illustrating the bringing together of the organisations and the buildings.


We love our new name and look but it does mean we're going to be making some changes.


Our main blog will be changing its address to www.thehigginsbedford.blogspot.co.uk 
Our News From The Stores blog will be moving to www.thehigginsbedfordcollections.blogspot.co.uk
Our Out & About blog will be moving to www.thehigginsbedfordoutandabout.blogspot.co.uk


We will be moving to these new addresses on the 20th April 2012.

Egg-tastic Easter Events

We have some fun things planned to keep you all entertained during the Easter holidays.

Tuesday 3rd April and Wednesday 4th April there will be a Humpty-Dumpty puzzle hunt on and around Castle Mound as well as the chance to paint some Easter Egg designs onto the hoardings around the Art Gallery & Museum site. The event runs from 11am - 4pm and there is no need to book. Come join us!

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Sherlocked

During series one of Sherlock, we published a Sherlock Special blogpost to highlight the fact that we have a painting by JMW Turner (1775 - 1851) of the Reichenbach Falls in the collection at Cecil Higgins Art Gallery & Bedford Museum. The Reichenbach Falls also happens to be the scene of the famous meeting between Sherlock and his archenemy Moriarty.

The scene was first published in a short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Final Problem published in 1893. This was intended to be the last of the Sherlock Holmes stories however, pressure from fans brought Sherlock back, firslty in the prequel The Hound of the Baskervilles and then returning Holmes for good in The Adventure of the Empty House published in 1903.

Sherlock fans cannot fail to have noticed that the upcoming episode is titled 'The Reichenbach Fall'. You can see a preview here. We can't wait to find out how Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat will deal with the Reichenbach Falls story line. But more then that, we are very excited to know that the aforementioned Turner painting is likely to feature in the episode. We're not yet sure for how long, where, when, or even if it will certainly feature but we'll be keeping our eyes peeled! We hope you will be too.

JOSEPH MALLORD WILLIAM TURNER, R.A. (1775-1851)

The Great Falls of the Reichenbach, 1804

Accesion No.: P.98
watercolour on paper, 102.2 ´ 68.9 cm
inscribed: J M W Turner R A 1804

Entry from the Watercolour Catalogue:

The Great Falls of the Reichenbach was first shown at Turner’s own gallery held on the first floor of what was 64 Harley Street. Turner had conceived the idea of his own gallery due to uncertainty over the future of the Royal Academy in late 1803, with rumours abounding that Turner would not be showing at the the R.A. in 1804. Sir George Beaumont (who saw the Turner exhibition) complained of 'the strong skies and parts not corresponding with them'.

The Great Falls is a superb watercolour, made soon after Turner’s first visit to Switzerland in 1802, and is based on a sketch (Wilton no.361) now in the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin. The view is taken from the valley of Hasli above Meiringen with Great Scheidegg beyond and shows Turner tackling a 'Sublime' subject with enormous confidence. Turner’s pride in the work is shown by the fact that it was again exhibited at the R.A. in 1815.

EJ/JM

Aiming for Arts Award

Do You Fancy Medieval Manga? Think it can get you a qualification? Well, that’s what we’re aiming for! A group of young people are aiming to achieve their Bronze Arts Award by getting creative with Cecil Higgins Art Gallery & Bedford Museum.

As part of a pilot scheme in partnership with Beauchamp Middle School and Albion Archaeology two groups of young people are developing their individual artistic skills in the arts to explore history. The Saturday Archaeology Workshop candidates visited the London Archaeological Archives and Research Centre and the Museum of London and according to Aidan’s review, it was “an amazing day.” Chris Dobson introduced them to the smelly arts of dyeing and weaving wool, just as the Saxons would have done.

Arts Award is about enjoying the arts and helping others to do so. After a workshop with local Comic Book artist Lee Smart, members of Medieval Manga group were challenged to recreate the Siege of Bedford Castle during the Museum & Gallery’s ‘Time Travel Big Draw’. Ben enjoyed painting scenes on the hoardings so much, that he came back another day to help other visitors to have a go.

Cecil Higgins Art Gallery & Bedford Museum realises that lots of young people spend their free time creatively and we were keen to offer Arts Award qualifications to help support their aspirations and recognise their individual interests and achievements.

“Arts Award aspires to support any young person to enjoy the arts and develop creative leadership skills.”

Arts Award is managed by Trinity College London in association with Arts Council England.

Funded by Renaissance and managed by Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service, this project forms part of the Effective Museums programme for the East of England. We hope this will be the first group of many to achieve their Bronze Arts Award and that we may possibly offer Silver Arts Award in the future.

The Big Time Travel Draw Panorama

We were delighted when Chris Carroll sent in this amazing panorama of the Big Time Travel Draw mural on the Art Gallery & Museum hoardings. The hoardings will be up for another year so we're hoping there will be some more mural action in Spring.

Thank you Chris!

What's Going On?

We have a new leaflet out with all of the latest news about the redevelopment project and upcoming events.You can flick through the leaflet online here.

Open publication - Free publishing - More art. museum

If you would like to receive regular email updates from us please subscribe to our e-newsletter here.

The Big Time-Travel Draw!

October is Big Draw month! The Big Draw is the Campaign for Drawing’s flagship programme. It is the largest drawing festival in the world. This year there will be lots of ways for the people of Bedford to join in and get involved with The Big Draw.

At the Art Gallery & Museum we will be travelling back and forth through time for our Big Draw event, making some VERY big drawings on the hoardings surrounding the Art Gallery & Museum site. But we need lots of help from all of you! Drop in on the 25th, 26th and 27th October to draw scenes inspired by Bedford’s past.

Did you know that Bedford was once beneath a tropical sea? Or that during the Ice Age Mammoth's, Elephant's and Bison roamed around the town? Come and join us in making some giant drawings inspired by Bedford's past as well as imagining Bedford's future. Will Bedford be underwater once more?

Join us at any time on the 25th, 26th or 27th October between 10am - 12noon or 1pm - 3pm for some FREE Big Drawing fun.

There are lots more Big Draw activities going on in Bedford. Bedford Creative Arts have invited artist Jo Roberts to map the history of Bedford’s Midland Road throughout October. For The Big Draw she will be leading doodle walks with local residents and visitors who want to explore this part of Bedford in a new and informal way. Through walking and talking and looking and doodling participants will contribute to a new map of Midland Road. The Midland Road Doodle Walks will take place on the afternoons of 15th, 19th and 22nd October.

WeAreBedford have teamed up with a group of local illustrators who will be inviting people to draw ‘Monsters of Bedford’ in an empty shop at Castle Quay. Taking inspiration from the creatures that have existed in the area from prehistoric time to the present day you are invited to create your own monster drawings. The event is on Saturday 22nd October from 11am – 3pm and is a free drop-in.

The illustrators on hand throughout the day include Katy Dynes, Alasdair Bright, Rachel Lovatt, Marisa Straccia, Scarlett Tierney, Andrew Foster and David Litchfield. They are all available to demonstrate a wide range of drawing techniques from the use of pen and pencil to chalk and stitch. You can add your creations to the ‘Monster Map’ of Bedford which will be created on the walls of The Drawing Room at Castle Quay.
Cllr Doug McMurdo, portfolio holder for Leisure and Culture at Bedford Borough Council, said: “Throughout October, the nights will be drawing in – quite literally! This festival is bound to stir peoples’ creativity and will form superb social events too. There is so much that Bedford has to offer in terms of arts and culture and these events are further evidence of that.”


So, why not make a BIG impact this October, and join in!