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The Box Opening!
The Box has announced their official opening date as 16th May 2020! Museum lunchtime talks Go to: www.plymouthmuseum.gov.uk for more information Why not sign up to the email mailing list to receive advance information. For further information of the museums activities go to www.plymouthmuseum.gov.uk/ Interested in museum volunteer work? Then click below http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/museumvolunteers |
The Box News
Work is underway to restore 14 figureheads, which will grace the atrium of the Box. Amongst the ships which once carried these figureheads are HMS' Tamar, Windsor Castle, Aurora, Cadmus, Defiance, Sphinx, Drake, Basilisk, Sybilla, and Calcutta. Only Calcutta came from Portsmouth; all the others all came from Devonport. The figureheads had largely been covered in thick resin and paint, which hid the detailed carving beneath, but it is hoped that this will be revealed in the restoration. Although the surfaces had been preserved by tn treatment, the interiors have been rotting away, but hopefully process will be arrested and the remainder preserved. The suspended figureheads should be a striking sight for visitors to the Box in 2020, when the building is open. Jan 2019 - Linda Wilson The new development is on schedule and is still due to open in the Spring 2020. The opening exhibition will be "Mayflower 400:Legends and Legacy". The exhibition will focus on the people involved, both the voyagers and the people they met on the other side of the Atlantic. This will be an outstanding exhibition with international interest, bringing together exhibits that have never been seen in the UK before, such as : - The Second Pierce Patent (the planning permission for - a settlement in the "New World"), - Jane - a reconstruction of a female settler who died at a young age from the Smithsonian, - The cooper's bible - A Wampanoag pot There will be over 100 items from various museums. However many of these items will need restoration an special packaging for transit. The Museum would like the Friends' help in raising £25,000 to cover these additional costs. The Garfield Weston Foundation has donated £5,000 towards this aim. The friends have also donated £2,400 plus £235 from a Crowdfunder campaign and approx £450 from its Smartie Appeal. When the charity winds up it will donate all its remaining funds to the Museum as described in it constitution. We are certainly ng forward to the opening of the Box and the Mayflower Exhibition. Nov 2019 - Linda Wilson |