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
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 (Bushell Brother collection)
Brushes label by Emily, Talia and Katie
Brushes label by Casey
From the photographic collection depicting life on the canals (1965)
Boatmen label by Skye
Teapot for a narrow boat painted at the workshop of L. B. Faulkner
Teapot label by Leesa
Teapot label by Chloe
A smoothing plane (Bushell Brothers collection)
Smoothing plane label by Richmond
Smoothing plane by Sean
Painted wooden cabin block created at the Anderton Company boatyard
Cabin block label by Tyler
Water can
Water can label by Fifi & Saima
Water can label by Talia, Emily & Katie
Trace bobbins
Trace bobbins label by Jamie and Ethan
Trace bobbins label by Rachel