Keeping your spirits up with wartime favourites

A guest post by Emma Kaye-Hudson and Elizabeth Morrissey, aka The Blitz Sisters

The Blitz Sisters will be performing Second World War songs at Wartime Experience on Sunday 12 May 2012 at National Museum of Flight, East Fortune. Book your tickets in advance here.

We are a 1940s singing duo who met at university whilst studying for performing arts. After graduating we decided to create some work together and after realising that what we both enjoyed most was singing, we created The Blitz Sisters! That was two years ago now and we have loved every minute.

The Blitz Sisters will be appearing on Sunday 12 May at Wartime Experience, National Museum of Flight, East Fortune.

All our songs are from the 1940s and 1950s, however we have also arranged a few modern songs to fit the sound of the era, so there is something there to suit everyone.

The Blitz Sisters will be appearing on Sunday 12 May at Wartime Experience, National Museum of Flight, East Fortune.

Before a show we try and get a good night’s sleep and then have a honey and hot water in the morning to help look after our voices.

At the Wartime Experience you can expect to hear songs from artists such as Vera Lynn, George Formby and The Andrews Sisters. We are really looking forward to returning to Scotland after a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe last August and we hope you have a great day!

 

When dads rocked the Museum

A guest post by David Marshall of playgroup Dads Rock

We congregated in our masses on a lovely sunny and warm April Saturday morning outside the National Museum of Scotland. Our kids and dads (30 kids and 25 dads) were all eager to get into the building to commence our morning of mask making, dinosaurs, stories and singing.

Outside the National Museum of Scotland.

We were welcomed by Alison Rae, Family Learning Officer, who has been amazing with the logistical arrangement with the run up to our visit, and today she didn’t disappoint. Alison and the Enabler team ensured we all moved to the Learning Centre and around the Museum with ease.

Once we had dropped off our buggies and all other child related “artefacts” we moved both in groups and in pairs around the Museum. The kids, in fact, led their dads around the Museum! Some explored the craft table set up in the Grand Gallery with a multitude of masks and various art/craft accessories at hand, and some, like my three-year-old daughter, lead me straight to the Earth in Space section, followed by what I can only explain as a kids’ haven, the Imagine gallery (weird mirrors and some lovely snug type spaces for those who would like a read).

Left: Mask-making in the Grand Gallery. Right: Reading a story in the Imagine gallery.

Before long, once the masks were all made and paraded around the Museum with pride, all of the small feet were wearying slightly so we retired up to the Learning Centre for a deserved lunchtime snack.

Then… it was into the usual Dads Rock session… oh yes… this was our time to give something back to National Museums Scotland for having us. Our resident storyteller and co-founder Thomas Lynch told two amazing stories, which we were all enthralled by (I think some parents more than the kids). Then it was time for me, David Marshall, fellow co-founder to get my trusted axe of wood and six metal strings out for a rendition of all of our favourite children’s rhymes and tunes, not forgetting our penultimate house rocker, Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’, which happened to draw in a large crowd who were spectating from afar, surely wondering what was going on. Well, I can answer that: 55 dads and their wonderful kids had an amazing morning to remember at National Museum of Scotland. We came, we conquered, and we ROCKED!!

Storytelling in the Learning Centre.

Rocking out to the Dads Rock anthem.

Dads Rock run free playgroups for dads and their kids (0-5) in Scotland.  It is a fun, positive and rocking place to come together, play and learn. There are currently two groups in Edinburgh and one starting in Fife and they hope to expand westward soon.

For more information email dads.rock@yahoo.co.uk or visit our blog or Facebook page and follow us on Twitter @DadsRockEdin.

 

Time travelling for volunteers

By Emma Greaves, Events Volunteer

This October I was one of the lucky volunteers who helped out with the National Museum of Scotland’s half-term family activities. Over the course of a week we helped over 2,000 visitors to create a dazzling dinosaur diorama (my own effort, complete with wholly inaccurate modelling clay undersea monsters, is now proudly displayed on my mantelpiece), scary sabre tooth tiger masks and fantastically mucky fossils, made from dental paste and sand.

Prehistoric diorama created by our Family Learning Officer.

I thoroughly enjoyed the week, not just because I got a chance to indulge my very undernourished creative side, but because the staff at the Museum and the visitors proved to be utterly lovely. The team at the museum were helpful, cheerful and welcoming, and as one parent said to me: “It’s lovely to see so many children enjoying themselves and behaving well all together!” Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, from the young boy who insisted on making various sizes of ‘Brownosaurus’ for his diorama, to the very young cousins who took turns scaring each other in their masks, to the enthusiastic fossil hunters brushing the sand from their fossils straight into mum’s bag.

The children loved the activities, and that made it a joy to be there helping them. Having just moved to Edinburgh it was great to meet so many history enthusiasts of all ages, and to feel like I had become a part of the Museum. Although it was at times exhausting, it was worth it, and I wore my bright purple t-shirt with pride. I can’t wait to find out what I’ll be doing next time!

 

Variety is the spice of life

By Leanne Roberts, Festival and Event Management Student, Napier University, Edinburgh

Don’t forget to book your tickets for Wheels and Wings on Sun 23 September and the next RBS Museum Lates: Behind the Masque on Fri 19 October at National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh

Over the past six months I have been working alongside the Learning and Programmes team at National Museums Scotland as part of my placement. I am a third year Festival and Event Management Student at Edinburgh Napier University and as part of my course I have been helping organise the large-scale public events with Bryony Hope and Craig Fletcher.

During my time at the Museum, I have been involved with a multitude of events. In May there was the World Wars Experience, where we went back in time to life during the First and Second World Wars. There were battles, flyovers, talks, a beauty salon and blistering sunshine! The only downside of the day was I dropped my ice-cream on the floor.

Miltary re-enactors at World Wars Experience, National Museum of Flight, East Fortune on Sunday 27 May 2012.

At Robots Live! in June we had robot wars, a giant animatronic T.rex, galaxy-discovering robots, prosthetic limbs, retro games, face painting and Segway rides and the Concorde hangar was full to the brim with visitors – even though it was raining it was a great day!

Tyrone the animatronic T.rex at Robots Live! at National Museum of Flight, East Fortune on Sunday 17 June 2012.

The RBS Museum Lates were complete madness from the moment the Museum closed at 5pm as we were frantically getting everything ready for the events two hours later. I don’t think I have ever run around so much! The atmosphere was amazing and the activities were brilliant.

I have never worked within a place where there is such a variety of things to do and odd things you need to find out – I’m now a Google search specialist! I have enjoyed working with such a creative and dynamic team, which has taught me about the practical side of organising events.

Having a go on the Segways at Robots Live! at National Museum of Flight, East Fortune on Sunday 17 June 2012.

The most memorable part of my time here has to be when I got to ride on a Segway with my face painted like a robot – who can say they get to do that at work? I am proud to have worked on such different themes during my six months here – it’s an experience I will definitely never forget!

 

All aboard the Magic Carpet!

By Gillian McNee, Learning Enabler

Every Wednesday morning at 10am a roll of thunder can be heard at the entrance of the National Museum of Scotland… or so you would think.  It’s actually 15 buggies, mums, dads, toddlers in a hurry, descending on the Museum for a morning on the magic carpet. The new under 5s programme has become so popular we now call the rush to sign up for spaces the “great buggy dash!”

After the transformation of the National Museum of Scotland, with the addition of the Imagine and Adventure Planet interactive galleries, designed specifically for younger visitors, there was an opportunity to develop new activities that would extend the ethos of popular galleries into our public programmes. The aim was to create an engaging experience for little ones where they could explore the Museum further, and the idea of a magic carpet came alive.

Captain Fiona Campbell tells a story.

The Magic Carpet sessions introduce little ones to different things in the Museum. Each week the carpet and its little explorers visit somewhere new, with stories, singing, crafts and object handling. Our trips on the carpet include visiting the stars in the Earth in Space gallery to see all the animal constellations, exploring the jungle of the Animal World gallery where we’ve boogied with the animals, and going fishing in the Arctic winter in the Living Lands gallery.

The magic carpet in the Living Lands gallery.

The carpet has had special guest appearances too, including professional storyteller Mara Menzies. Mara runs her own company, Toto Tales, which brings African stories to life, and she took our magic carpet on an adventure through Africa, with Koko the crocodile. Another special guest was Cuddles the pygmy hedgehog, who was brought along by Visitor Services Assistant Laura Moss for a springtime special all about woodland animals, where the children explored the history of the forests in the Beginnings gallery.

Enabler Anna Downie adds some sparkle at a craft session on the magic carpet.

The magic carpet sometimes gets out and about, away from its home at Chambers Street. It recently flew to East Kilbride to the National Museum of Rural Life for some storytelling at the Classic Car show. For training, it visited Sanderson’s Wynd Primary in Tranent, where the P2 class went on a journey from Scotland through Europe, stopping off and handling objects from each country along the way, with the final destination being Spain, the class’s topic. They then performed a Flamenco dance inspired by their adventure on the carpet.

It is also being used as inspiration for a community engagement project led by Community Engagement Officer Jane Miller. Three family learning groups, Gracemount, Broomhouse, and the Royal Mile, have all taken part in magic carpet sessions in the museum. They are now each creating a fabric square with their favourite object from the Museum on it, which will then be put together to make their own magic carpet. The nursery children and their parents have been working jointly on this project, enhancing learning together. The finished carpet will be complete with objects and a user book, full of songs and activities that can be used with the carpet. Groups will be able to borrow the carpet and resources for their own use. The adults and children have been really enjoying the process of making their own magic carpet. One mum says the only challenge has been that her wee boy was inspired by so many objects in the museum that she had to limit what he could have on his square, as it had to match with what she could actually sew!

Making a magic carpet with the family learning groups.

September will see the launch of Magic Carpet Minis. So far the Magic Carpet sessions have been piloted for little ones under the age of 5.  After the summer, two different sessions will be run – one geared towards 2-5 year olds and one for 0-2 year olds. This means the activities will be more tailored for each age group and parents/guardians can decide which one they and their children will get the most from. So keep an eye out for new adventures on the magic carpet!

Up up up as we go flying on the magic carpet!

For more information on family activities in the Museum visit www.nms.ac.uk/families

 

Getting ready for a right old battle!

Guest post by Tom Greenshields from Gordon Highlanders 1914 – 1918

The Gordon Highlanders will be carrying out a First World War battle re-enactment amongst other Great War experiences at World Wars Experience, National Museum of Flight, East Fortune on Sunday 27 May. The two World Wars will come to life with living history presenters and their vehicles, live battles, vintage beauty workshops and posing for wartime portraits! 

The Gordon Highlanders 1914-1918 are proud to appear again at the World Wars Experience at the National Museum of Flight. We greatly value our continued relationship with the National Museums Scotland and look forward to doing our best once again, to recreate the life of the soldiers of the Gordon Highlanders during the First World War.

First World War Gordon Highlanders at ease in the trenches.

Preparing for an event of this nature involves quite a bit of work behind the scenes. First and foremost, we have to make sure that we know exactly what the organisers want. Each show is different and we need to make sure we tailor our performance to deliver both what is required and what is compatible with the site. We need to work out a programme with the organisers, do a recce of the the site and decide with the organisers, where the camp-site and other static elements of our display will go.

First World War Gordon Highlander in the trenches.

We find out what PA system is available, and ensure arrangements are in place for food, washing and toilets.  We have to decide on appropriate kit for the event, and also whether or not we are able to use pyrotechnics – if so, we have to obtain them.  Members are briefed on how to get to the event site and transport arrangements made accordingly.

On the weekend itself, we have to transport all the stores, including tents, props, spare kit, display boards, and youngsters’ kit for dressing up and set-up the camp-site, normally the day before the event. Finally we have to work up our presentations, making sure that any new features are properly rehearsed before we deliver them. So, nothing much to do really…

First World War Gordon Highlanders’ camp at World Wars Experience in 2011.

At the World Wars Experience, we will be delivering a range of presentations, hopefully to suit all tastes. These will include:

• An all-action arena display, which will feature unit training, including PT, gas drills and bayonet drill, and will end with a small simulated attack on a German position
• Participation in a ‘fashion parade’ of uniforms from both World Wars
• A pretty hard-hitting presentation entitled ‘After the battle’ in which we concentrate on the experience of the soldier after going over the top
• An authentic camp-site in which you will be able to meet the soldiers and ask them about their experiences, their uniform and kit. You might even be able to try on the uniform if we have one to fit!
• At the camp-site, you will also find:
• A miniature ‘barbed wire’ assault course for the youngsters to crawl through – but beware in case the Germans hear you!
• Kilts and jackets for the youngsters to try on – we can even take the youngsters for drill – give ‘em some discipline!
• A set of display boards on the Highland Soldier in the Great War, which we hope to set up in one of the interior spaces.

We are looking forward to taking part again in the World Wars Experience.  If you want to find out more about us, please visit our website at www.gordonhighlanders1914-18.co.uk

 

Looking good and lots of cabbage: vintage living at World Wars Experience

Guest post by Edna Dickinson of Harry and Edna, who bring the 1940s to life in the 21st century

Edna will be providing good old-fashioned  beauty advice and wartime cooking tips at World Wars Experience, National Museum of Flight, East Fortune on Sunday 27 May. The two World Wars will come to life with living history presenters and their vehicles, live battles, vintage beauty workshops and posing for wartime portraits! 

The 1940s are so inspirational for me; it’s the whole hair, make up and clothing. The effort people put in to how they looked really showed. Look at almost any period photo and the women look incredible, especially when you consider the shortages, hours worked and the hardships of war. This might explain why I tend to wear period clothing on a regular basis and I am looking forward to bringing period clothing with me to World Wars Experience.

Make do and mend in the Second World War.

What I find interesting is that clothes from the 1940s really do not look anything when they are on the hanger, but once worn on a feminine figure, the garment comes to life in a way modern clothes just can’t. However, I do not want to paint a picture of a fashion heaven.

Clothes rationing began on 1st June 1941, because there was a major shortage of cloth reaching Britain. Much of that was needed for military uniforms, tents, parachutes etc and government restrictions meant that clothing although simple was of good quality and fairly priced. Rationing coupons where limited to 66 per person a year. That is just about enough to buy one complete outfit. If you fancy a challenge I have listed a number of items with their point allocation, what would you buy for the whole year?

Raincoat or overcoat 11	Jacket, short coat 8	Dress, woollen 8
Pullover, jumper 3	Dress, other material 5	Trousers 6
Blouse, cardigan, jumper 3	Shorts 3	Skirt 5
Overalls, dungarees 4	Apron, pinafore 4	Shirt, woollen 6
Pyjamas 6	Shirt 4	Night-dress 5
Underwear 2	Petticoat 3	Pair of socks 1
Collar, tie 1	Pair of gloves 2	Pair of boots or shoes 3

The number of ration coupons required per year to purchase items for purchase of clothing: Source Imperial War Museum, London.

Another form of rationing during the war and post war years was food rationing and I am looking forward to speaking on this topic at World Wars Experience. Food rationing was brought in at the begining of the war in 1940 and lasted until 1954, an amazing nine years after the war had ended. Despite meals made from pigs’ trotters and a liberal use of cabbage, I plan to explain how our grandparents can tell us a thing or two about cooking today, even though they cooked in a world 70 years ago, in which you were only allowed one egg and three rashers of bacon a week!

Edna tucking into a pig’s trotter in the 1940s kitchen.

I am really looking forward to meeting you at World Wars Experience. I plan to bring a number of artefacts which would have been found in the wartime kitchen. Hopefully some will be familiar to you, others maybe not so. If you would like to find out more about my family’s little world in the 1940s do visit our website www.harryandedna.co.uk

 

Belle of the War

Guest post by Emma Dixon from Miss Dixiebelle of Edinburgh

Miss Dixiebelle will be providing vintage makeovers at World Wars Experience, National Museum of Flight, East Fortune on Sunday 27 May. The two World Wars will come to life with living history presenters and their vehicles, live battles, vintage beauty workshops and posing for wartime portraits! 

We’re delighted to be asked along to this year’s World War Experience. We’ll be there with our pop-up parlour as well as 1930s and 1940s demos throughout the day. We’ll be armed with rollers, combs and tongs to do some vintage hair styling.

1940s vintage makeover at Miss Dixiebelle of Brunstfield.

We can advise on styles dependent on hair type and length and will have plenty of images for you to browse, whether it’s 1940s victory rolls or a classic set that takes your fancy. We’ll be doing this on a first come first served basis so be sure to come early!

1940s vintage look by Miss Dixiebelle of Brunstfield.

Our emporium in Bruntsfield is home to vintage-inspired ladies fashion and accessories. We import brands from America as well as British designers and have reproduction garments concentrating on the 1940s,  1950s and early 1960s styles. We have a full range of lingerie and corsetry and our main collections are complemented by vintage luggage and jewellery and hats.

Miss Dixiebelle of Brunstfield.

 

The sound of distant African drums…

A guest post by Regan Koazubikk, P6, Methilhill Primary and Community School, Fife

Regan’s class is part of The Robertson Trust funded project which is working with schools to develop boxes of museum objects available for free borrowing. Regan tells the story of preparing for a day event showing the work her class has done over the past year with the Museum. The partner school is Methilhill Primary and Community School, Fife, and the event took place on 2nd Feb 2012. You can find out more by reading this previous post by Community Engagement Officer Conor Hull or on the Community Engagement section on the National Museums Scotland’s website.

Before Thursday we had to plan our exhibition.  We had to decide on where our objects and material went. Then on the laptops we made some labels and a title. Eventually area 10 (another class) came to see us practise our exhibition for Thursday – they really enjoyed it!

P6 choosing objects for the African exhibition at Methilhill Primary and Community School, Fife.

Next it was the day! I was so nervous I was shaky. Then we began to walk to the drama studio. Then we suddenly walked in and as we walked in there was Conor, a photographer and a professional cameraman and we had to prepare our exhibition. Soon after break an African man called Chief Chebe was teaching us to play drums, African drums, and some of our parents came. Then we got taught a seed game. I was in a group with Samantha and Melissa.  Then area 13 (another class) came in.  It was very nerve-wracking because they are a bigger class.

Chief Chebe and P6 at Methilhill Primary and Community School, Fife.

Soon it was show time! To show our parents what we had been up to with the Museum project we then had to move our exhibition to the hall.  Meanwhile our parents came in.  I was so nervous and a little bit scared stuff might go wrong!

P6 playing African drums to an audience at Methilhill Primary and Community School, Fife.

My parents were very proud of me.  Then we had to play our drums in front of everyone in the school even parents! I was very jumpy, then we finished and everyone cheered and clapped. At the end my parents said I was outstanding. I was very proud of me and my class.  However we had to say our goodbyes. I didn’t want to say goodbye to Chief Chebe. I loved every second of it and it was a GREAT experience.

P6 practising the African drums at Methilhill Primary and Community School, Fife.

 

Imagining a new children’s gallery…

By Claire Allan, Imagine gallery leader and Learning Officer

“Can I have my family back please? Husband+2 last seen entering museum AM today. If they’re staying for tea, I need to know.” Twitter, 2 August 2011

When we flung open the new street-level doors to the National Museum of Scotland at the end of July after a three-year closure and redevelopment project, we in the Learning and Programmes team hoped that there would be families of all ages amongst the crowds. And we weren’t disappointed, with grandparents, parents, teenagers and overexcited toddlers all raring to go. But where should they go first?

Our old, rather tired animal displays had always been a ‘natural’ draw for our youngest visitors, so we were confident that our revamped Natural World galleries would remain a key destination for families even without the lure of our new Tyrannosaurus rex cast skeleton.

But we were also opening six new World Cultures galleries. Many of these objects had not been on display before, and we knew from speaking with family visitors early in the project that they felt less confident about this area of our collections. So we decided to develop a gallery dedicated to families with children under eight, an inspiring space for them to actively engage with our World Cultures and Art and Design collections as a starting point for exploring the other new displays.

In the first hour after opening, 6000 visitors began to find their way around the new museum spaces. The looks on the faces of the first children to discover Imagine made all our hard work immediately worthwhile.

Imagine is brightly coloured and vivid.

Imagine is a bold, bright space where museum objects are brought to life through music, stories, creativity and play. Children know immediately it is a space for them – colourful strips of light fill the roof void, and vivid swathes of red, green, yellow and orange vinyl cover the floor. Everything is a little bit nearer the floor, with peepholes, flaps to lift and slide, and spaces too small for grown-ups.

Objects are central to the Imagine gallery ethos, acting as a focal point for each of the interactive experiences on offer. After months of detailed development, it was wonderful to watch small hands lift our giant ‘slices’ of teapot, selecting a yellow base, a red handle, an orange body and a yellow lid to create their own personal design, inspired by a tower of teapots from across our collections.

Making teapots in the Imagine gallery.

We tried to keep the written interpretation to a minimum, but we have included simple questions alongside the objects to encourage observation, ideas and opinions. They give parents and grandparents a starting point for a conversation without having to know facts and figures, and allow older children to take a lead. ‘Can you find the biggest, and the smallest?’ or ‘Which one do you like best and why?’ are questions they can take with them to other galleries as they continue to discover together.

The ‘Celebrate’ area is introduced by a larger-than-life Chinese dragon suspended from the ceiling, created by artist Kim Bergsagel as part of a community engagement project with local groups. Of course, celebration is all about getting together, dressing up and having fun, so here children can try on costumes from Africa, China and the Caribbean, play a range of percussion instruments and even dance on the musical stepping stones.

Artist Kim Bergsagel with the Chinese Dragon she created.

Dancing on the musical stepping stones in 'Celebrate'.

Most of the activities are sensory, tactile, low-tech. One of the most popular areas is ‘Play’, which we developed specifically for toddlers. A low, curved bench has six hidden compartments containing toys, some from our collections and others more recognisable examples, like a finger-puppet story book and Mr Potato Head. The simple act of revealing these, by lifting or sliding a flap or opening a drawer captivates young children and entices them to investigate further. This section also has age-appropriate toys that reflect the rest of the gallery, such as a play tea set, percussion instruments and baby board books. The built-in seating creates a safe environment for cruising babies and young toddlers, while giving parents and grandparents a much-needed chance to rest their feet!

Young visitors can also develop their own story-building abilities and literacy skills. One of the more unusual objects in the gallery is a silk sculpture of a sardine tin with a mermaid inside it, which forms the centrepiece of a jigsaw-based activity. Simple story elements are depicted in words and pictures for visitors to put together to create their own story of how the mermaid got into the tin, and what happened when she was found. This is proving to be a truly collaborative experience within families, as younger children are led by the visual stimulation of the fun cartoon images and older ones enjoy piecing the words together in silly sentences.

And when they want to a quieter space to relax, they can get comfy on a bean bag and share stories in the Story Corner.

Reading together in Story Corner.

This area features animal-themed objects from around the world, from tiles showing scenes from Aesop’s fables to tiny Japanese figurines in the shape of a tiger and a monkey, and visitors can explore animal stories from many cultures through a wide range of children’s books. We have also developed story bags to connect some of the books with objects elsewhere in Imagine and the wider museum galleries. As well as acting out ‘The Hare and The Tortoise’ with fabulous glove puppets, families can also test their knowledge of animal speeds with an information book and a flashcard quiz, before being encouraged to find the Animal Sprint activity in our Natural World galleries, where they can be part of a virtual race with a cheetah, a hippo and a crocodile!

So is it working? In a word, yes! Imagine is proving a firm favourite, encouraging frequent repeat visits. And in the words of one of them – “Give a 5-year-old the casting vote on ‘what to do today’ and chances are you’ll end up at the National Museum of Scotland…”

Stop press! National Museum of Scotland has been longlisted for a Kids In Museums Family Friendly Award 2012! The short list will be announced in April and the overall winner in May. Thanks to all the visitors who nominated us!