Talking Objects is a  resource for Key Stages 3 and 4 which allows pupils to reflect on how we perceive the past through the objects that have been left behind. Looking at themes relating to citizenship, such as growing up, conflict, worship and showing off, pupils will gain skills in interpreting what objects and works of art tell us about people in the past and will enable them to apply these skills to examine their world around them and consider their sense of identity.

Click on our eLearning page to find the link to this new resorce and our existing eLearning modules.

If you would like more information about this resource please contact Will Graham

The curators and conservators who care for the works of art in the five museums within the Museum Network collectively have a huge amount of experience and knowledge. One of the main aims of the Museum Network is to find ways in which this knowledge can be shared to the benefit of all. At present, among projects currently under consideration are the establishment of a programme of short-term placements for curators and conservators at other Museum Network members and the improvement of conservation provision through longer-term training placements.

One of the benefits of the Museum Network has been the opportunity to share exhibitions. The first exhibition organised jointly between The Bowes Museum and Compton Verney is Vive La Parisienne: Women through the Eyes of the Impressionists, 30 September - 10 December 2006.

The Wallace Collection is not permitted by the terms of Lady Wallace’s bequest to lend any of its works of art. However, it is possible for the other members of the Network to mount displays of their objects in the Wallace Collection’s exhibition galleries or for the Wallace Collection to borrow an exhibition devised by one of its Network partners.

The last partnership exhibition on display at The Wallace Collection was ‘Theatres of Life: Drawings from the Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor’

This splendid exhibition offered visitors the first opportunity in London to see more than seventy drawings from Waddesdon Manor, the great Rothschild house in Buckinghamshire. Collected mainly in the nineteenth century by Edmond de Rothschild, the drawings include wonderful works by major French draughtsmen of the eighteenth century, including Boucher, Fragonard and the Saint-Aubins, as well as Dutch and British artists such as Berchem and Sir David Wilkie. The exhibition ran over January 2008.

Previously there have been three exhibitions of this kind: The Road to Impressionism: Nineteenth-Century Paintings from the Bowes Museum (2003), Town House Treasures: Sir William Holburne of Bath (2004) andSalvator Rosa: Wild Landscapes, devised by Compton Verney (2005). It is hoped there will be many more collaborative exhibitions between members of the Network.

The Museum is now closed to the public. A development programme of refurbishment and extension supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund is scheduled to be finished by 2010.

The scheme designed by Eric Parry Architects is supported by a grant of £4.875 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The exciting proposals address all of the problems facing the Museum today and will create a beautiful new building which together will allow the Holburne to flourish as the active, vibrant and engaging Museum that is needs to be.

Although the museum building is closed the education department will continue to run workshops for schools and community groups throughout the closed period.  Schools have the opportunity to host a series of outreach workshops coordinated and run by the education team from the museum.

Click on the pdf links below to view the selection of workshops available through the Holburne Museum of Art.

• Primary Schools Leaflet
  
• Secondary Schools Leaflet
  

For more information about the schools’ and community workshops available please contact the Education Department on 01225 820829.

At all five museums

Through out the year all of the partner museums will be running family days.

Georgian Family Day
The Holburne Museum
On the 28th August an 18th Century Georgian family day was held in the grounds of the Holburne.  Families were encouraged to bring picnics, make willow swords, masks and take part in a family trail.

At all five museums

This Year all 5 museums participated in the Big Draw. All of these Big Draw events looked at aspects that connect the 5 museums, through architecture or the buildings’ surroundings.

The Bowes: Changing Places, a Big Draw event aimed at families, ran on the 11th October.  The workshops and events were created in partnership with a local architecture firm and a local higher education college.

Compton Verney: Changing Places saw families being encouraged to learn about elements, components and structure and contribute to a huge joint architectural plan.

The Holburne Museum of Art: Bigging Up the Gardens took place on the 18th October and followed the architecture theme by working with a local architects firm to encourage people to think about their surroundings.

Waddesdon Manor: Amazing Architecture. Families added to a giant collage of Waddesdon Manor and also came up with innovate new interpretations of the house.

The Wallace Collection: Building Big saw families compare 19th century floor plans of the Wallace Collection with the current on-going refurbishments.  Taking ideas from the plans and renovations, the families then created new designs for their own homes and the Wallace Collection.

Created at Waddesdon Manor

Waddesdon Manor identified the local Pakistani community in Aylesbury as non-visitors.  A group of 13 Muslim girls from Aylesbury Ghosia Mosque attended five sessions with local artist Pippa North.  Pippa helped the group to create silk paintings and movie posters using items from the collection and a Bollywood movie filmed on location at Waddesdon as their inspiration.  An exhibition of their work was held during a celebration day at Waddesdon Manor.

Created at The Holburne Museum

This intergenerational project sees 15 year six students from an isolated school working on a reminiscence project with 10 visitors at Midsomer Norton Age Concern Day Centre.  These sessions focus on portraiture and reminiscence and are lead by local artist and poet Claire Williamson.  The memories of the Day Centre visitors and the Holburne’s collection are used as their inspiration.

Created at The Bowes Museum

The Bowes Museum identified the local community as non-visitors.  To encourage these audiences a sculpture project was devised where the local families would design and create a ‘story tree’ based on collection items, for the Story Garden.  Local artist David Gross ran the sessions. A celebration event with local storytellers marked the unveiling of the final piece which was featured in the local press.

Created at The Holburne Museum

The education team wanted to establish connections with rurally isolated families with children under 5 in the village of Longvernal.  Treasures for Toddlers encourages parents with under 5s to take part in art based activities at their local playgroup using the collection as their inspiration.  A local freelance educator, Chrissie Weltike, leads the sessions.