The working life of Museum of London

Having finished reading ‘A Christams Carol’ our Programme Manager (Family Learning), Sue Neaves, is quite surprised at how festive she feels…

“There’s something about revisiting works you know well – or assume you do. I was surprised at whole episodes I’d forgotten. Also when I agreed to do this we were nowhere near Christmas, even if the shops were trying to persuade us otherwise. Suddenly I find myself eager to drum up appropriately festive feelings and CC has certainly helped with that.

What an amazing book it is. You can really let your imagination run riot with the ghosts and I loved the dark passages just as much as I expected to.  I laughed out loud at some of the dialogue, however familiar. Of course, there is a reason that certain stories are ubiquitous, and that reason is because people love them.

And yes, cringe, it does make you examine your own behaviour and make some stiff resloutions. Maybe I’ll keep one or two, who knows?

So banish cynicism, deck the halls, you’d better watch out, Santa Baby. God bless us, every one.”

You can read Sue’s first two blogs on her experience of reading A Christmas Carol for our Dickens Book Club here and here.

Dickens and London, a major exhibition from the Museum of London, is open until 10 June  2012.

As our Programme Manager (Family Learning), Sue Neaves, continues to share her thoughts on A Christmas Carol for our Dickens Book Club via social media, our blog pages allows for a more indepth discussion of a key character from the novel:

“I had to write this as I couldn’t possibly fit my thoughts about this Dickens character into the tiny allowance of Twitter.  Although Dickens is such a master that you can create intense drama out of a short tweet (see my ‘it’s the finger again’ tweet recently) and everyone knows what you’re talking about.

 This character is reinterpreted as a device in so many movies, plays and novels that many more people are familiar with him/her/it than have read Dickens. Previewing the offerings of television over this festive period I spotted at least half a dozen offerings making use of the same idea. How many can you name where people are given a glimpse of their future and a chance to change it?

With my other hat on, I write for the theatre and have done more than my fair share of Dickens adaptations. (Like actors can always fall back on panto at Christmas, writers can always rely on Dickens.) The casting and interpretation of Ghost CYTC has caused more arguments between directors, writer and actors than any other in my experience.

The pointing finger is crucial to the reader and even more important when you consider the need to view it from afar. To use a prosthetic or rely on the finger skills? Traditional costume of cloak and hood or something more contemporary or experimental? My favourite casting is when the director agrees to use a child. There is something even more chilling when all these horrors are being delivered by a very small, young person. I was thrilled to discover the novelist John Irving exploring this concept and if, like me, you are intrigued by the darkly comic aspects of Dickens it’s worth a look at his rendition of a performance of ‘A Christmas Carol’ in ‘A Prayer for Owen Meaney’. For my money, nothing comes closer to the true spirit of Dickens ar Christmas Time (except the original, of course).

How would you cast the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come?”

Dickens and London, a major exhibition from the Museum of London, is open until 10 June  2012.

Sue Neaves, Programme Manager (Family Learning) is just about to start reading (or rather re-reading) A Christmas Carol for our Dickens Book Club. Here are Sue’s initial thoughts:
With its message of hope A Christmas Carol is an obvious Christmas choice quite apart from the setting.
Some people don’t like reading Dickens. They say it is complicated, full of exaggerated characters and unlikely coincidences; just like real life, then.
Please persevere. If you doubt that life is full of colourful characters and people behaving in extraordinary and ridiculous ways then you must come from a somewhat sheltered background. I think many of us find the world both more ghastly and more hilarious than that of fiction.
Another charge levelled against Dickens is his sentimentality. Well, what’s wrong with that? Dickens was not afraid to appeal to people’s emotions, rather than intellect, and used any means at his disposal. If he was writing today, he would doubtless recognise that his audience was different and use lots of horror and gore, but back then he knew what would work best with his readers. He was happy to bring a tear to the eye. Today this is uncool, but Dickens was not in the ‘cool’ business. Hurrah! I’ve never been a fan of cool (fortunately for me, some would say).
So what am I expecting to find? Things I most remember are dark episodes that never make it into the films and shows; if anything these were my favourites.
I’m looking forward to thrilling to the tireless rallying call to arms in support of those in need. You can’t read Dickens and feel easy about institutions set up for the ‘benefit’ of society – either then or now.
And I’m hoping that, as I’m older and wiser, I’ll be able to stomach Tiny Tim this time.
If CC makes you feel Christmas-y, don’t forget to visit our Victorian Santa’s grotto at Museum of London Docklands, which transforms into Scrooge’s Grotto after Christmas. “God bless us….” no, can’t quite do it yet.
You can follow Sue’s thoughts as she progresses through A Christmas Carol via our bespoke Twitter and Facebook pages and share your thoughts and opinions here too!Our Dickens Book Club is in support of our new exhibition, Dickens and London, opening 9 December 2011.

During October half-term 2011 we built a pirate ship from scratch.

Families visiting the Museum of London Docklands worked with artist Sophie Buxton to make the hull, rigging, masts and sails.

We made the ship in sections and joined these together.

We added people, livestock, treasure and all the other things you would find on board.

Here is the pirate ship finished – many thanks to all those who helped to build this wonderful vessel!

If you would like to join us from festive fun in December you will find event details on our website here.

All summer long this performance has been packing them in. Our new free interactive gallery drama is especially popular with our youngest visitors.

With half term approaching we are heading for the last two performances for a while, as our pirate will be taking a well deserved winter rest.

Come on down and catch him while you can. Also on offer are stories, scientific investigations of maps, making hats, treasure and building a ship from scratch.

Our website has a list of all the free half term activities for families here and don’t forget that our special exhibition Pirates: The Captain Kidd Story closes on the 30 October!

Find Your Talent is a government programme to help families and young people explore their creativity. Museum of London Docklands has been project managing a Tower Hamlets cluster of organizations including The Ragged School Museum, The Tower of London and the Women’s Library, exploring the theme of ‘Home’.

bridging the gap

Here at Docklands families from Cyril Jackson Primary School have been working with artist Kasia Howard to create ‘My City’ – buildings made of foam. We have been out and about taking photographs.

looking up

by the quayside

working with clay

We have done clay work and rubbings. We are working with textiles and creating original artwork and graphic designs.

skyline

Our exhibit will be in the foyer at Museum of London Docklands during the school summer holidays. Come along and have a look. There are lots of activities for families which you can see on our website and it’s all free. See you there.

Families worked together with artist Kasia Howard to create a digital collage of Modern London. Some of us took photographs of the area surrounding the Museum of London Docklands. Others added original artwork and we used a computer to create the final collage pictures.

During the Easter holidays we decided to build a ship and all its contents in 2 days. Lots of families worked with artist Sophie Buxton.

Starting with a pile of card and a lot of imagination, the ship began to take shape. We also made people, flags, masts, anchor and cargo. Well done to everyone.

Here are some photos of us at work:

Getting started

Making the ship one section at a time

Beginning to collect different parts

Assembling the ship

Ready to load up

A section through the ship. You can see cabins and contents