Justin Smith
Member
I'm not sure whether this should go in the Heritage section or not, but I feel it's of such importance that it needs maximum exposure, and in any case, it is the National Rail Museum.
The Dec issue of the RWM reports that the NRM is to "turn away from enthusiasts". The museum is to become less of a traction display and more of "an interpretive centre". The plan is to remove many of the locos from the Great Hall and replace them with "themed areas" ! Incredibly the sectioned steam loco Ellerman Lines (possibly one of the most interesting exhibits) is also to be removed. In addition the plan is to introduce a single entrance and one way traffic ! !
Paul Bowers, in charge of the changes, states "it's no longer just about the locomotives".
I beg to differ. It is about the locomotives. If you want to look at things on screens you can get that on the internet, when I go to a museum I want to experience something I can't get on the internet.
What's more, in order to accomplish this vandalism the NRM will have to close from the end of 2011 to mid 2013, and furthermore, how much is all this costing ?
This is part of a trend to "dumb down" museums which should be resisted. It's obviously aimed at kids, but the point is, who pays for bleedin' museums anyway ? Whether it's in entry fees, in your rates or in your taxes, it's the adults who pay so how fair is it to aim the places at the kids ! And anyway, surely it's patronising to imply that kids have no brains, most kids, including myself "when I were a lad", liked the NRM as it is.
The world's gone mad.
See post with updated info including Paul Bowers comments.
The Dec issue of the RWM reports that the NRM is to "turn away from enthusiasts". The museum is to become less of a traction display and more of "an interpretive centre". The plan is to remove many of the locos from the Great Hall and replace them with "themed areas" ! Incredibly the sectioned steam loco Ellerman Lines (possibly one of the most interesting exhibits) is also to be removed. In addition the plan is to introduce a single entrance and one way traffic ! !
Paul Bowers, in charge of the changes, states "it's no longer just about the locomotives".
I beg to differ. It is about the locomotives. If you want to look at things on screens you can get that on the internet, when I go to a museum I want to experience something I can't get on the internet.
What's more, in order to accomplish this vandalism the NRM will have to close from the end of 2011 to mid 2013, and furthermore, how much is all this costing ?
This is part of a trend to "dumb down" museums which should be resisted. It's obviously aimed at kids, but the point is, who pays for bleedin' museums anyway ? Whether it's in entry fees, in your rates or in your taxes, it's the adults who pay so how fair is it to aim the places at the kids ! And anyway, surely it's patronising to imply that kids have no brains, most kids, including myself "when I were a lad", liked the NRM as it is.
The world's gone mad.
See post with updated info including Paul Bowers comments.
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