Attendant's View
Visitors are reminded not to eat in the galleries. The staff may attack you for your food.

  • Cartoons and Blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • Links Elsewhere

Tutankamun at the Saachi Gallery: A Live Tweeted Review.

11/12/2019

0 Comments

 
I never really had an "Egyptology" stage as a kid, despite always being interested in history and archaeology, but I certainly understand why it has an enduring mass appeal.

A few weeks ago I went to the Tutankamun: ​Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh exhibition at Saachi Gallery, because my travelling companion wanted a gander, and I figured that it would be interesting to see some very unique items, and also to see how the exhibition itself measured to the hype.

Oh there is hype. This is absolutely a "blockbuster" exhibition, proudly trumpeting in it's sales copy the record-breaking volume of visitors in other countries, and stressing the likelihood of tickets selling out. 

I decided that rather than try to compile my thoughts into a review afterward (which would mean, realistically, I'd never get round to it), I'd drop a few live tweets to capture my thoughts and feelings as I went round.

Here are the compiled tweets in one spot for you!

The Exhibition continues in London to ​Sunday 3rd May 2020.
Picture

Read More
0 Comments

Doing everything right - Banbury Museum

28/3/2019

0 Comments

 
If you're looking for a small local history museum, perfectly set up to bring in the locals, and inform the casual visitor, by golly Banbury Museum seems to be on form. 

I took a short walk along the Oxford canal from Banbury train station, and just as I was starting to mentally grumble at the modern shopping centre unceremoniously dumped beside the canal, I found the museum café entrance. At this point I gave my grumble a quick realign, as there seems to have been a lot of thought put into making the museum an easily reached and enticing prospect for passers by, including the museum gift shop actually being inside the shopping centre. The building being packed with excited families, ambling couples, brunch munching OAPs and tea sipping dog walkers, the intentions seem to work.
Picture
Not my first view of the museum, as I approached with the museum on my right.

Read More
0 Comments

May The Toys Be With You - Exhibition Review - Yeah, we had fun...

2/9/2018

0 Comments

 
I'm not a raging Star Wars fan, perhaps a bit more so than the usual bod on the street, so the May The Toys Be With You
exhibition at Leicester museum
 
pricked my attention, and was also a great way to catch up with two Star Wars fans and small child at the same time.
 
Rather than trying (and inevitably failing) to write a polished review, this is going to be the first of my “Explaining it in a pub” reviews. Essentially, the near stream of consciousness I'd give if you asked me “How was that place you went to? Worth it?”
Picture
​We were excited as we entered the Exhibition space, the first few cabinets had some familiar and some unusual toys, and quickly made a direct connection to a local manufacturer, which helped the exhibition feel genuinely relevant rather than just a crowd pleaser. We could see there were lots of cabinets, well set out with space for excited kids, plus large decals on the otherwise white walls.

Read More
0 Comments

I've been lax at museum reviews... So a new format is coming!

31/8/2018

0 Comments

 
I've been very rubbish about posting museum reviews, usually because I write up half my notes, then leave the document languishing for ages, and finally come back to it and either:
A. Forget what the rest of the notes mean.
B. The exhibition it's about has finished.
C. Both of the above. Which might make for an interesting-ish, but not actually useful blog post.
 
So I'm going to be giving you some reviews I’m thinking of as “Explaining it in a pub”. Sort of stream of consciousness, or bullet point pros, cons, what grabbed my attention, a bit of gut reaction, with not too much in depth museum jargon or analysis.

Essentially, how I'd chat to a reasonably interested mate if they asked me in a pub “How was that place you went to the other weekend? Worth it?”
 
The fist of these will be coming up soon about the Star Wars toy exhibition at Leicester museum, hopefully, before the exhibition finishes…
0 Comments

Charles I: King and Collector - I finally write up my visit!

27/3/2018

0 Comments

 
There have been many many reviews written about the Royal Academy’s Charles I: King and Collector exhibition, pretty much all of which boil down to “you're not going to see the likes of this again, some waffle about a new perspective on King Charles, it's good, bloody well go and see it”
 
And I concur.

​I've already shared some of the comics I drew after my visit, but now here's the view from a punter, who knows about art mainly thanks to the content on BBC iplayer, and a brief stint of asking people to not touch things in a gallery.
Picture

Read More
0 Comments

The Museum Blog Book - Chuffin ek, I'm published

31/3/2017

2 Comments

 
So, you’re currently looking at a museum related blog (*waves*). 

The publishing peeps at Museums Etc recognised that there are an awful lot of museum related blogs out there where “museum professionals share the experiences and perceptions they believe are the most valuable, the most urgent." . They decided to shed some light on these many blogs, and The Museum Blog Book has been born, publishing articles from over 75 blogs in one impressive 676 page book. 
​
Which brings us to me shouting “AAAAGGGH I’VE BEEN PUBLISHED!!” in tones between delight and panic.
Picture
Picture
Picture

Read More
2 Comments

The Brunel Museum - What a nice wee place to visit in London!

20/1/2017

0 Comments

 
London has so many good museums and historic attractions to pick from, a visit can become a bit overwhelming - Do you go for top national, unusual independent, or obscure gem?

Away from the bustle of the nationals, the hip coffee drinkers of the independents, the instagram worthy oddities of the obscure, is the welcoming industrial huddle of the Brunel Museum.

There's something delightfully honest about a museum in London where the cash is kept in a tuppaware pot, and the cafe can only seat about 6 people. This is local pride in people of national importance, and it's heartwarming.
Picture
Picture

Read More
0 Comments

Audio guide zombies: Death of exploration and interaction.

25/4/2016

3 Comments

 
Picture
Recently I visited a lot of venues over three days. At Westminster Abbey, Apsley House, HMS Belfast and the Churchill War Rooms we were given hand held audio guides which worked with varying degrees of success. We noticed that wherever they were being 'successfully' (extensively) used, they turned most visitors into zombies. My travelling companion made the observation in the cartoon above.

I know that audio guides are a good way to control visitor flow and visit times, ensuring people get an overview while also pushing them through sites at a suitable speed. They can provide a reliable service not always possible unless you employ a large pool of highly trained staff, such as language options, BSL on video screens, child friendly tours. They can be a flexible tool, such as at Apsley House, offering visitors a choice of tours depending on their specific interests. They allow historical venues to be free from obtrusive signs. From the visitor's point of view, their experience can also be enhanced by a good audio guide, with music, interviews from behind the scenes staff, and video clips. 

However, using so many audio guides in a short time highlighted two - to me - unpleasant side effects. The first is how much people were attuned only to the audio guide, to the detriment of all else. The second was the isolation of the user.
Picture

Read More
3 Comments

Tudors on Tour: Think like a kid for a good time

5/5/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Hampton Court and Henry VIII came up North, with Tudors on Tour bringing the Historic Royal Palace experience to Tatton Hall in Cheshire. But how does Hampton Court fare in a feild? Not that well, until we met some brash and tipsy ladies who changed our perspectives.

Initially, we were taken aback, as the Tudors on Tour was an area sectioned off at the end of what is usually an overflow car park feild. The ticket included a visit to Tatton farm to see the vintage breeds, some of which would have been common in Tudor times, and free entry to Hampton Court itself, but the main attraction seemed underwhelming.


Read More
0 Comments

Aldwych Tube Station tour - secrets, priceless treasure and film nerd heaven

3/7/2014

0 Comments

 
Through barred and dirty doors, across mausoleum quiet lobbies, and down, down winding stairs to a monument of human ambition fallen foul of progress.

 I was recently fortunate enough* to go on one of London Transport Museum's rare tours of the abandoned Aldwych Underground station, originally known as Strand. Why an abandoned tube station? Well, it's a beautiful little time capsule to another age of design, site of many well known film and tv scenes, and a we got a very good little tour giving insights into how the Underground was originally run.

Click on pictures for larger views, and on "Read More" for more images and info.

Read More
0 Comments
<<Previous
    Webcomic and occasional blog about the heritage sector.
    Share The Attendant:
    Follow The Attendant:
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Tumblr

    RSS Feed

    Topics

    All
    Archaeology
    Art
    Behind The Scenes
    Blog
    Book
    Cartoon
    Castles And Houses
    Complaints
    Daft Questions
    Don't Do That...
    Don't Do That...
    English Heritage
    Entrance Desk
    Forrin Tourists
    Guided Tours
    Handy Gallery Attendant Tip #
    Happy Stories
    Kids
    Mischief
    Museums
    National Trust
    Old Dears
    Parents
    Parks And Gardens
    Review
    School Visits
    Submitted
    Tourist Information
    Yuk

    Author

    All text and images are produced by and copyright of the artist, holder of the domain name of attendantsview.com
    Please contact for permission to use images, which will probably be gladly given, but it's only polite to ask first!

    Archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.