Visiting the world, via the Horniman Museum

In the heart of South London is the Horniman Museum, one of London’s most precious museum treasures.  The Horniman Museum is the legacy of  Frederick John Horniman, a Victorian tea trader and philanthropist, who began collecting objects, specimens and artefacts ‘illustrating natural history and the arts and handicrafts of various peoples of the world’  in about 1860. His professed mission was to ‘bring the world to Forest Hill’ and educate and enrich the lives of the local community.

And for 153 years his collection has been doing exactly that.

His travels took him to many fabulous destinations such as Egypt, Sri Lanka, Burma, China, Japan, Canada and the United States. He collected objects that ‘either appealed to his own fancy or that seemed to him likely to interest and inform those who had not had the opportunity to visit distant lands’.  Soon word of Mr Horniman’s interest as a collector spread and travellers also approached him to offer specimens and curiosities.

By the late nineteenth century, his artistic collection had accumulated to such an extent that he moved out of his house, and it was opened full-time as a museum. It is reported that the move was precipitated by his wife, who is claimed to have said,  ‘either the collection goes or we do’. The family moved to Surrey Mount, the grounds of which adjoined those of the former residence.

There are 350,000 objects in the collection and they all tell a marvellous story.  There are musical instruments, Ancient Egyptian mummies, a vast taxidermy collection, artefacts from the indigenous cultures of North America, fish hooks, arrows, a monkey skeleton . . . the list goes on and on.

Of particular interest to me is the African collection with some of the most wonderful masks to be seen anywhere.  There is the spectacular Igbo Ijele, one of a tradition that makes Africa’s largest mask, and the only one of its kind on display in Britain. This  sits alongside other impressive Dogon and Bwa masks from Mali and Burkina Faso, which are about 5 meters high. Then there are the beautiful Gelede masks from the Yoruba region of Nigeria. Much of the African collection has been put in place since the 1950s and it is accompanied by wonderful video and documentary footage. There are also sessions where the visitor can learn the stories behind the many exhibited pieces, and numerous fabulous activites and tours to join in with. All the information can be found on the Horniman’s website.

The museum is very focused on all its visitors, what ever their age (or height) and the museum’s aquarium in particular has been designed with children in mind.  Low-level viewing windows allow younger visitors to see directly into the wonderful aquatic world, offering a really enchanting learning opportunity.  The Horniman also undertakes and supports work around the world to preserve the types of habitats shown in the aquarium.

And there is more – the garden!  The Horniman gardens are home to a fine collection of trees, some of which existed before the museum, and formed the field boundary markers when Forest Hill was populated by farms. Other trees on the site were originally found in the gardens of the Victorian houses that were pulled down in the 20th century, and include a crazy monkey puzzle tree.  It is a perfect place for a picnic after the stimulation of the museum.

What I absolutely love about the Horniman Museum is the nature of the exhibited pieces.  This is not a collection of art created by artists.  This is a collection of art made by people to enhance their lives, to manifest their belief, to make tasks possible, to hold water, gather crops, catch fish, cope with the elements.  It is a life-enhancing collection of art that shows the visitor how ‘other’ people do things, and with that the collection communicates the normalcy of lives lived far away in very different environments. A visit to the Horniman museum is a truly an experience to treasure.

To keep up with all the exciting things happening at the Horniman Museum, follow them on Twitter, Tumblr, or like them on Facebook.

Telling Stories at Hampton Court Palace

One of London’s Historic Royal Palaces, Hampton Court Palace may not be a museum per se, but it is engaged with explaining a story as much somewhere with ‘museum’ in its name. And on my recent visit there I was impressed with the fun and effective ways that they did just that. They are having some fantastic events this weekend, including an adults-only sleepover tonight!

The weekend of our visit the palace was celebrating the marriage of King Charles II to Catherine of Braganza and his return from exile to take up the English throne (1662). Actors – I mean, the King and his retinue – were walking around the palace, engaging with the public, and at times breaking into short plays and skits. So, as you were wandering the palace you could come upon a duel or witness a raging argument between the king and his new wife. Immersive theatre for the whole family.

And I LOVED IT.

The live action wasn’t only entertaining and funny but the information went right into a sticky part of my brain – in precisely the way that stories are the best method of passing on information in a ‘sticky’ or enduring way.

Two examples:

Here is a duel between two lovers of a court lady, which we came across in the Cartoon Gallery. Duelling was banned under Charles II but that didn’t mean it didn’t go on. This sword fight was entertaining choreography for us the audience, and had a hilarious effect on the lady they were fighting over: once the winner had mortally wounded his opponent, the lady was so overcome with emotion she found comfort in yet another court gentleman – a somewhat passionate comfort.

I didn’t know dueling was banned then – but I didn’t really know what day-to-day life was like ‘at court’ either, and this episode brought both to life vividly for me – the relationships, flirtations, jealousies, humour.

Here are Charles and Catherine being introduced to some important characters of their new English court. Painter Peter Lely was invited over from Belgium to be court artist, as art had been banned under Cromwell. From Lely’s brief conversation with Portuguese Catherine I learned that they were tea drinkers – unlike the English at that time – and that the Queen was responsible for introducing it here. (Surely there’s never been a longer-lived trend?)

Charles II also enabled literature to flourish, and during this episode we also met writer Aphra Behn – the first professional female writer in England. I now know, from watching this play, to salute you, Aphra.

More than just a nice day out at an impressive royal palace, it was entertaining and – dare I say it – educational. The magic was woven through the telling of stories pitched just right for the whole family: action, comedy, funny costumes, adult overtones if you’re old enough to notice them, historic details for those who cared to note them.

Before visiting Hampton Court Palace, pretty much all I knew about King Charles II was that he was the King of Bling, who brought partying back. Horrible Histories taught me this, reinforcing my argument that there’s no better way of making your point memorable than by telling it in a thoroughly entertaining story.

Whigs, Wigs and Wigging out.

Perched on the edge of a large velvet sofa, trying desperately to hide my bitten nails and nervous shakes, my University interviewer, and Director of Studies to be, thought for a moment and then asked, “What is the point of a museum?”

What? My brain cried, what sort of question is that? I’ll explicate the causes of the 1917 Russian Revolution! Expound on the limitations of the Great Reform Act of 1867 or deliberate on the role of women in the decline of the Liberal Party. But museums? What have museums got to do with history?

Where dates don’t matter!

After mumbling something about making history accessible to everyone I quickly moved on to firmer ground, weighted in dates, names and facts. Five years down the line and I can barely remember what I had for breakfast, let alone who the Chancellor of the Exchequer was in 1905 (oats and Asquith respectively…) but that question did stick. And, as with all the best historical theories, my thoughts have changed considerably over time.

I used to be someone who worked with history, and now I’m someone who loves stories –and I’ve realised that actually those two aren’t so far apart. Museums, stories, history – it’s all about getting under the skin of someone else. I spent most of my degree standing on the edge of yesterday and asking my brain to put together a kaleidoscope of stories to cobble together something approaching truth. And not much has changed. Michael Gove’s decision to move the curriculum away from the history as experienced by people, understood as a complex web of experience, lies, stories and great moments, towards something that can be drawn neatly along a ruler is at once astoundingly naïve and also, I believe, wrong.

History is as much about the stories as it is about the Bills, laws and coronations. When an archaeologist uncovers a piece of jewellery, a Roman wall or an ancient shoe, historians work in the realms of guesswork and creativity to connect the dots and make ‘history’ bigger. Museums are a great bridge from stories to fact, you have to use a touch of imagination to bring it altogether but underneath the guesswork and possibilities are the scavenged artefacts of truth.

A servant boy with Bill Spykes the hedgehog

The best museums (in my opinion) are the ones that encourage you to use your imagination to really understand the past. Some people think that history is something abstract and intangible that can be recited from books and learnt from timelines (*coughs* Gove. Ahem.). BUT…not so. I fell in love with the idea of history as a thing in its own right aged 7, sitting in an Andersen shelter listening to the bombs falling over London, and comforted by the kind cockney women telling me to keep my “chin up”. Granted this was in the confines of the Imperial War Museum and I’d only recently emerged from the trenches – but, down there with the benches shaking and the smell of smoke creeping through the walls, that history was as real and as valid, as any textbook or timeline might claim.

A (ghostly) foundling girl

There are many great museums that really let you get a first-hand taste of history. Recently we went on a Victorian themed tour of Bloomsbury, visiting The Dickens Museum and then The Foundling Museum.

Shortly after breakfast I was a maid making porridge on a huge iron stove. Quickly followed by a stint as a servant boy where I explored the wine cellars, jumped at a rat and realised I’d left the oats on to burn.

A restorative latte later and I was Thomas Coram, establishing the Foundling Museum, taking in waifs and strays from across London and transforming the face of British society. And then briefly a girl left by desperate parents with only a small ‘token’ as a clue to my true family. Segueing from an anonymous servant girl to a man whose name lives on as one of the great philanthropists of our time, and back to a life of hard graft- I was able to pick up stories, get a taste of history and really learn something (*cough*).

Thomas Coram – a very splendid coat

So the moral of this story? The imagined past is as good as any story. Museums can be the alchemists touch which turn numbers and names into history gold. Children are excellent at understanding the complexities of a history. Don’t take away the dressing up! Lastly – I look great in a wig.

Anyone for tea?

We LOVE Museums!

This weekend, hundreds of museums across the UK will open their doors in the evening to host special events and programs highlighting museum collections. You can explore the Museum of London‘s extensive archeological collection by candlelight, watch the 1950′s classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers at the Royal Observatory, or even sleepover at the Eastbury Manor House!

We LOVE museums here at Hot Key Books. Rarely a week goes by when someone isn’t gushing about a cool exhibit they saw, or some mind-blowing event they attended at a museum. So, to celebrate Museums at Night 2013, we’re going to spend this week talking about our favourite museums.

Today, I’m kicking off our week of museum blogs with a few videos from two museums that were instrumental in helping us put together THE HISTORY BEHIND THE QUIETNESS. The Foundling Museum and The Old Operating Theatre and Herb Garret are both holding their own amazing Museums at Night Events, so make sure you get those in your diary right now! Click here for info about the Foundling Museum event, and here for info about The Old Operating Theatre night.

Wondering what to expect at these museums? Here are a few videos from the curators to give you a taste of what’s inside:

“The picture’s over. Now I have to go and put it on film.” ― Alfred Hitchcock

It’s quite boring, admitting that you enjoy going to the cinema. If you’ve heard someone say it before, it’s with a note of apology, as if to say ‘I wish I had taken up sky diving’, or ‘I barely know you and definitely can’t tell you about my love of alphabetisation’.

But genuinely, I LOVE going to the cinema (even three years working in one hasn’t put me off). As with reading a great book,  film can transport to places you never expected, affecting your predispositions and transforming your opinions in ways you might never have expected. And cinemas, just like the book industry, are grappling with new technology and pushing boundaries every day to keep us entertained and excited. Much like a beautifully bound hardback or ebook, the sheer range of how you can explore the latest releases is kind of astounding – the film itself might move you on big screen or small, but it’s the cinema (much like the publisher) that decides how this story will reach you.

Whether you prefer boutique and carefully curated, quick and easy or crazily innovative, there’s something for everyone out there. Here are a pick of some of my favourite cinemas (and cinema experiences)…

Rooftop Cinema Club

Last night, I saw Amelie on a rooftop in Hoxton – a BBQ, a clear(ish) London night’s sky and director’s chairs with blankets on made watching Amelie all the more like a magical dream.

ODEON Holloway

Originally a theatre, this gem was destroyed by a V1 Rocket bomb on 8th November 1944. The beautiful surviving features give everything a wonderfully dramatic air – even Haywire, officially the worst film I’ve EVER seen at a cinema, didn’t seem so bad in these surroundings. Actually I lie, it was total dross

Prince Charles Cinema

Showing the coolest films you’ve always loved, PCC is all about the experience – go catch a comedy there, and laugh at whatever new is on the sign!

Hot Tub Cinema

Err, could there BE a better medium to watch a Will Ferrell film?!

Salisbury ODEON

This Fifteenth-century building has let the modern world develop around it – there are tapestries on the walls, and a suit of armour in the foyer!! I saw Harry Potter there and felt like I was ON that chessboard with Harry, Ron & Hermione.

Do you love or hate the cinema? Have any recommendations for me? Leave a comment!

And here’s some more words of genius for the road: “The length of a film should be directly related to the endurance of the human bladder.”  ― Alfred Hitchcock

So true.

Edible Art Class

Some of you might have seen the deliciously gruesome edible prints that we sent out with THE SAVAGES book proof:

They were made by the awesome people at Animal Vegetable Mineral, who we bumped into at Eat Your Heart Out last year. After sampling their creations I was pretty curious as to how they made these treats, so jumped at the chance to take part in an Edible Art Class!

You heard me correctly. We made art, and then ATE IT.

There was lickable life drawing, with apple flavoured pens on edible paper…

Delicious, but a reminder that I really, really can’t draw.

Chocolate model making (continuing with THE SAVAGES theme i made a chocolate skull – which mysterious disappeared before i got it home. Ahem.

Lickable graffiti – the below is meant to be a key, in case you couldn’t guess (I wouldn’t blame you).

Edible paint by numbers – delicious! Each paint tasted different – red is strawberry, yellow is pineapple, blue is rhubarb and black is caramel. Delicious! I went a bit off-piste with my dog painting, but it still tasted delicious – kind of like trifle!!

 

We had a blast – thank Tasha for a brilliant night! Follow AVM on twitter to find out when their next class is – guaranteed delicious-ness.

Geeking out at The National Archives

A few weeks ago, I set out to go to The National Archives to do a bit of research for our latest enhanced ebook project. It’s going to be a non-fiction companion to THE QUIETNESS by Alison Rattle, which is the Victorian-era story of two girls from very different families who ultimately get entangled in the dark world of baby farming. Fortunately, because this book is set in London, and because the Victorians were obsessed with paperwork and their brand-new police force, there was a plethora of material available for perusal in The National Archives.

If you’re coming from central London, getting to The National Archives is quite a journey. A pretty direct journey on the overground, but about an hour nonetheless. There’s a sort of strange path between the archives and the train station, one that takes you through a residential area, and (if you get lost like I usually do) through a strip-mall parking lot. But if you follow the signs, you eventually end up here:

If you’ve never been to The National Archives, there’s a fairly lengthy bureaucratic process you have to complete before you can start your research. Now, because I used to work for a bureaucracy and I’m pretty used to getting my fingerprints scanned every time I come back to the UK, I had thoroughly prepared all my documents before I went to the Archives. I even brought extra IDs and called to make sure I had the right proof of address in hand.
But the documentation is only the beginning.

In order to get your “reader’s ticket,” you have to take a 15-minute tutorial, complete with periodic quizzes, about how to use the archives. It’s useful information actually — it helps you understand how to handle big old books and ancient text scrolls. Once you complete the quiz (with passing scores of course), you get cleared to move onto the next step — the final document check. At this phase, a nice staff person checks your ID and proof of address, takes your photo, and voila! You’ve got your fancy reader’s ticket!

My National Archives reader’s ticket, now one of my most prized possessions.

And now the real fun begins. Because once you have your reader’s ticket, you have access to the millions of primary source documents stored in the archives.

And I can tell you, it’s totally, TOTALLY worth it.

In a single day, I held letters written by convicted baby farmers, the original report on Amelia Dyer’s execution, a wanted poster in near-mint condition (it’s going in the iBook!), and Victorian police reports, all written in a nearly indecipherable long-hand.

From The National Archives, just one of the cool things you’ll find in The History Behind THE QUIETNESS iBook!

It felt humbling to touch these documents, like someone had given me the keys to a time machine just because I answered some questions on a computerised quiz correctly. It was an oddly emotional experience, several steps beyond reading about baby farmers in a book. I know I’ve waxed poetic about archives before, but this research experience was intense, both because of the subject matter and because of the quality of material I was able to touch.

And I’m curious — have you been to the archives? What did you find? What was your experience?

Dressing Up for World Book Day

Hi, I’m Little M and I share a book blog with my mum called We Sat Down. I love reading and horse riding. I play on the Year 8 netball squad for my school. I have a yellow labrador and when I’m older I would like to work with animals (e.g. be a vet).

World Book Day was one of my favourite days in primary school because we could dress up as any character from our favourite book. I loved it. There were also prizes for the best costume and sculpture/scene from a book.

I can remember that I went as Hermione Granger from Harry Potter twice. I also went as Saucepan Man from Enid Blyton’s Magic Faraway Tree.  I dressed up in frying pans and colanders for that one. The teachers were not impressed.

When I was in Year 4, I went as Mildred from The Worst Witch. I made a satchel out of card and fabric.

I also designed and sewed Tabby, her cat. It took me ages.

In Year 5, I went as Marley from Marley and Me. And then in Year 6 I went as Joey from War Horse.  I designed and made the whole horse: the head, the legs, the back and tail. It involved drawing, cutting, painting, gluing, stapling, ripping and thinking. It took ages. But in the end it was amazing and I won!

For the prizes, there were £10 book tokens but the year I won we didn’t have them. I was so sad. Instead, I got 10 house points which didn’t help our house at all because we always lost.

Now in Year 8 I wish that we could have World Book Day like that. My amazing English teacher and our school bookclub are going to do something at lunch on World Book Day. There will be a small book sale (secondhand) and some recommendations on books you might like to read.

If I dressed up this year for World Book Day I would go as Tris from Divergent (by Veronica Roth). I’d go in black clothes – or grey!

How are you celebrating World Book Day this year? Are you dressing up? Let us know in the comments below!

Objects of Our Affection

It’s that time of year again, when the shops are stuffed to bursting with sickly-sweet cards, fluffy cupids and heart-shaped chocolates. Yep, it’s Valentine’s Day, and although we are supposed to be directing our affections toward someone rather than something, we can’t help but get distracted – there are some lust-worthy objects hitting the shops that are dragging our eyes away from those heart-shaped chocolates. Here’s a few beautiful things that are capturing our attention this week…

Coralie Bickford-Smith designs the most lust-worthy jackets around, and these delicious-looking books from Penguin’s Great Food collection are no exception. Swoon at the mouth-watering colours and intricate patterns – and possibly the delicious food described too. Maybe.

Spotted yesterday in Foyles on the Southbank were these eye-catching array of Don DeLillo covers from Picador. The pop of colour on the inside covers? J’adore!

THIS IS AMAZING. Suck UK have ensured that not only will you never lose your page again, but you will have a tiny book-house on your bedside table. Dare I say it? Cute. Possibly cuter than Clooney*.

What beautiful things are distracting you this Valentine’s week?

*After watching the BAFTAs, we can confirm that nothing is cuter than Clooney.

Welcoming Emma Matthewson, Editor at Large

Today was my first day at Hot Key Books. It is still (almost) the New Year and just the right time to be starting a new job… and to be writing  my first ever blog.  So a day of  ‘firsts’.

As I came in to work this morning, perched delightedly on the top deck of the 243 bus, my already high spirits lifted even higher as we crossed the Thames. I could see the hive of industry on and around the river, and the brand new modern buildings cheek by jowl with the lovely old buildings. Such a classic London view, showing our amazing city at its best.

For so long now I have dived down into the Underground to get to work. It was so nice to keep above ground – and to see the sun sparkling on the Thames to boot! So – a new job can clearly give new opportunities and perspectives you are expecting, and also some you aren’t – but aren’t pleasant surprises wonderful? And sunny views of the Thames’ hustle and bustle definitely fall into that category!

Now I am ensconced at my desk with some gorgeous welcoming vases of richly coloured anemones and hyacinths, surrounded by the buzzing energy that is Hot Key and the amazing team here (who are not only publishing dynamos but also bakers  – I have yet to find out who baked the oatmeal muffins but can confirm they are delicious). I can also confirm I am raring to go!