The Royal Museums Greenwich

 On our last full day in London, our group was invited to partake in two cultural events. Both of these events were in Greenwich, and are a part of the Royal Museums Greenwich. Due to a combination of exhaustion and the fact that London Pride was happening on this day, we had a small group for this excursion. 

                    It was a beautiful day for a beautiful walk in Greenwich!

Our first destination was the National Maritime Museum. This large museum hosts a number of exhibits pertaining to sea travel, exploration, cultural stories, and science. The first exhibit we came to was a showcase of photography in astronomy, called Astronomy Photographer of the Year. The multi-room exhibit features many winners, runners up, and short listers, and the images were breathtaking. Permanent exhibits took over most of the floors and museum space, and these included exhibits like Polar Worlds and Pacific Encounters. The museum was well maintained and spacious, and offered a variety of engaging activities and informational areas. I especially loved how children and play were incorporated into museum enjoyment, even without a young child in tow. 

                                    A small sampling of the exhibits in the National Maritime Museum. 

In the afternoon, those of us remaining for the excursion made the trek up the hill to the Royal Observatory. Not only is this a historically important site given the work done here by royal astronomers, but this is also the home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian Line. While getting up to the observatory was a bit daunting, the view was amazing! I know we were only seeing a part of London, but it was still a great way to cap off an amazing trip. 

                    Look at that view!

The museum itself recounted the lives and legacies of the royal astronomers, while showcasing the technology they used and how it works. I had not previously considered the difficulties with determining longitude versus latitude until I read about all of the attempts to correctly determine longitude at sea and the importance and history of it. The museum did an excellent job of presenting the astronomers and the history of astronomy in Britain.

                            The beautiful devices in all of these rooms. I wish I could have seen them in use!

My favorite part was going into the Octogon Room and seeing the Great Equitorial Telescope. We were not visiting at a time where use of the devices was available, but even so, seeing the scale of these items and spaces was awe inspiring in itself. I felt that I better understood both the history and importance of astronomy after visiting. More than that, I felt like this was a great way to end our journey and I am so glad that I got to attend!

So many quirky little things to find to teach you about history and science!

Kew Gardens' Library and Archives

 Today we took another little trip to Kew, located in the London district of Richmond. While we were invited to spend the day discovering the area, our focus for the morning was a presentation at the Kew Gardens' Library and Archives. We were once again joined by Andrew Wiltshire, who had presented us with information concerning Beatrix Potter, including her connections to Kew. 

Our tour of the library and archives was lead by Fiona Ainsworth, the Head of the library and archives. Ms. Ainsworth lead us through the history of Kew Gardens and the collections held within. She presented our group with roughly a dozen artifacts of interest, including a letter form Beatrix Potter and a book in Latin from 1370. Additionally,, we were guided into the closed stacks by Laura, a librarian in training who is finishing up her time at Kew. She gave us a tour and discussed issues with cataloging and conservation, as well as the eternal problem of finding enough space.

Fiona Ainsworth introducing Kew and its resources, including books that are centuries old. Photos taken at Kew Gardens. 

During this visit I was surprised to find that despite the long history and enduring popularity of Kew Gardens, very little work has gone in to digitizing and translating the written and illustrated works collected within. Ms.. Ainsworth pointed out how this limits access to the information contained within the archives, and shared that she hopes this will change in the future. 

Images of Laura showing us around the closed stacks and the variety of resources preserved here. Photos taken at Kew Gardens. 

Another thing that struck me was the realization that while historic images of plants are respected for their artistic value, they were not intended as art. It's completely logical when I thought about it, how these images were primarily for scientific purposes. This hits home the point that certain resources can change meaning and value over time, and can serve multiple purposes.

This was science, not art. Photo of Fiona Ainsworth and multiple resources at Kew Gardens.

Had this occurred earlier in our study abroad trip, I feel I may have chosen to stroll the grounds in the afternoon. As it was, I decided to spend my time elsewhere for the day, as we have very little time left here in England. Perhaps next time I'll make a trip to Kew Gardens a priority and be able to view the plants cultivated within. 

Proof that Beatrix Potter visited Kew, on multiple occasions. Photo taken at Kew Gardens.

Bletchley Park and the National Museum of Computing

 Today's excursion had our group reuniting with Tour Guide Gary and journeying by train to Bletchley Park. Bletchley Park was home to cryptographers, linguists, code breakers, and more during WWII. During our tour we learned both the history of the campus and its place within the war effort. We also gained a basic education in the technologies created to encrypt and decipher messages sent during the war, the thoughts behind these technologies, and the processes used to develop and maintain these technologies.

The mansion at Bletchley Park.

We began with a calm, half hour train ride from Euston Station to Bletchley Park, by way of the National Rail Service. This allowed us time to view the countryside in peace, a welcome change from a hot bus or crowded underground. After arriving in Bletchley, we walked a short distance to Bletchley Park. The land and mansion had been purchased by the government prior to World War II, when it was clear that a location was needed for focus on deciphering messages intercepted from other, likely hostile nations. The location was chosen for several reasons, including both proximity to and distance from London, as well as being adjacent to both highway and railway. While many people were recruited to work at Bletchley, the work being done was kept secret, and rarely would anyone know what other buildings were working on. 

Some images from our day at Bletchley Park.

Touring the facility, both with a guide and on our own, allowed us to get a glimpse into the lives of those who worked tirelessly all those years ago, and whose work likely ended the war early, saving countless lives. The staff, mostly women, worked long, hard shifts in tight quarters. While touring the huts that had been constructed as workrooms, we were greeted by projections of people going about their daily tasks and facsimiles of room decor. The larger blocks housed more themed exhibits, with photographs, artifacts, short films, and displays on warfare and tactics. 

                                                    Some images from our day at Bletchley Park.

By the end of our visit, I found that Bletchley Park felt far smaller than I had originally perceived it. The sheer number of humans living and working within this space, and the massive machines they needed to maintain, was beyond what I had thought when first walking in to this spacious estate. Bits and pieces scattered throughout the museum gave insight to the people who worked here, adding a layer of humanity I had not previously attached with a location that's so important to technological progress. In all, it was not the reaction I expected to have, but I am glad to have had the experience to learn. 

                                                     Some images from our day at Bletchley Park.

After touring Bletchley Park, our group walked nearby to The National Museum of Computing. This museum has a long history with Bletchley Park and maintains many of the machines either from BP or replicating those from BP. After WWII, the machines responsible for deciphering enemy code were broken down. The National Museum of Computing seeks to rebuild and maintain these machines, sharing the history of computing and technological advances with interested parties. 

                                            Images taken at The National Museum of Computing.

This museum is not the seemingly vast field with many structures, like Bletchley Park. Instead it's one building with a maze of hallways and separate rooms for displays, exhibits, and preservation. We were invited to two different presentations, one on the Enigma Machine and one on the Colossus and its progenitors. Both presentations were insightful, engaging, and lead by very passionate people who clearly enjoyed speaking to the subject matter. After reading about these technologies at BP, it was lovely to get a well paced and tailored introduction to their workings, and I felt I better understood after this. 

                                            Images taken at The National Museum of Computing.

We did not end up with much time to explore the exhibits after these presentations, but we did manage to walk through everything and get a peek. The National Museum of Computing was full of fun, quirky tidbits and interactive areas, including computers and video games inviting you to sit awhile and try an older technology while also learning how that technology works. I was highly impressed with this museum and was very glad to have been able to visit.

Images taken at The National Museum of Computing.

Museum of the Home - a brief glimpse

 Today's journey started with a lecture, then a tube ride, then two museums, a long walk with a stop for lunch, and a final museum, all during a heat wave in the UK. This final museum was optional, but I wanted to at least get a taste for the collection. The Museum of the Home seeks to collect and display items related to home life throughout ages, locations, cultures, and events. The collections provide insight to the daily living situations and amenities of people throughout history, primarily in England. 

By the time I arrived at this museum, there was not much time before closing, and I was already tired and hot. Even so, I tried to at least make it to most of the available rooms and take pictures of items and collections I wanted to look at longer. The vast campus hosts several smaller, themed collections, such as In The Garden, images of elderly persons with their city gardens, or a room on comfortable seating over the ages. Rooms Through Time offer a look into the typical middle class English living room throughout various historic time periods. I will say I was briefly taken aback by looking into a model room that appeared similar to those I had seen in US history museums, only to realize this room predated the establishment of my country by a century. 

If I had the time and energy, I would return to view some of these rooms with more leisure. I was able to gather some information that might be useful to my eventual research paper, but ultimately I did not spend enough time in the collections for it to have made an impact on me. I do though appreciate the work that has gone into it and the sociological perspective in the curation, aimed at discovering and parsing the human experience through the objects we acquire and utilize. 

Furniture catalogs offering glimpses of standards of living at various time periods. Museum of the Home, UK.

"Right On, Jane" A feminist response to early readers in the 1970's. Museum of the Home, UK.

A recipe book for cleaning supplies. So much can be gleaned from this, including available resources, prices, practices, conventions, etc. Museum of the Home, UK.

"What Has Happened to Gus?" One of the Rhymes Through Time at Museum of the Home.

"Exploring the role of children in the home through poetry and interactive design, created by children's poet Valerie Bloom MBE and illustrator-as-historian Kremena Dimitrova"

The Reading Room at the Museum of Home.