‘Life on canals’: a Takeover Day exhibition

On Friday 22nd November, the Museum of English Rural Life worked with the Institute of Education and took part in Kids in Museums’ Takeover Day. Throughout the day we welcomed Year 5 and 6 students from Geoffrey Field Junior School, Reading, and invited them to explore artefacts in the collections that relate to canal life and become ‘mini-curators’ in the process.  Armed with white curatorial gloves and pencils, students worked in small groups exploring objects and photographs, and selecting the ones that they would display in an exhibition on the subject of Life on Canals. They were even assigned the task of writing interpretation labels for them. 

Takeover Day

Takeover Day

 

We’ve turned their work into an online exhibition…

 

‘Life on Canals’

Guest curated by the pupils of Geoffrey Field Junior School

 

Sign writing brushes

Sign writing brushes (Bushell Brother collection)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brushes label

Brushes label by Emily, Talia and Katie

Brushes label by Casey

Brushes label by Casey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the photographic collection depicting life on the canals (1965)

From the photographic collection depicting life on the canals (1965)

Boatmen by Skye

Boatmen label by Skye

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teapot for a narrow boat painted at the workshop of L. B. Faulkner

Teapot for a narrow boat painted at the workshop of L. B. Faulkner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teapot

Teapot label by Leesa

Teapot label by Chloe

Teapot label by Chloe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A smoothing plane (Bushell Brothers collection)

A smoothing plane (Bushell Brothers collection)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smoothing plane label

Smoothing plane label by Richmond

Smoothing plane by Sean

Smoothing plane by Sean

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Painted wooden cabin block created at the Anderton Company boatyard

Painted wooden cabin block created at the Anderton Company boatyard

Cabin block label by Tyler

Cabin block label by Tyler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Water can

Water can

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

watering can by Fifi_Saima

Water can label by Fifi & Saima

Watering can by Talia_Emily_Katie

Water can label by Talia, Emily & Katie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trace bobbins

Trace bobbins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trace bobbins by Jamie and Ethan

Trace bobbins  label by Jamie and Ethan

Trace bobbins label by Rachel

Trace bobbins label by Rachel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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