Topic: National Maritime Museum 2018 / 19 (Read 3746 times)

Martin (Admin) · « **on:** November 25, 2018, 07:33:47 pm »

Evening All!

Re: https://www.rmg.co.uk/national-maritime-museum

I'm think of going to the London, Greenwich, National Maritime Museum, December or January, any advise?

Anyone been recently?

Some of you know how many photos i take at a show, will I be able to do the museum justice in a day or will I need more time?

many Thanks
Martin

Neil · « **Reply #1 on:** November 25, 2018, 07:56:56 pm »

I went some years ago, and unless it has changed from the "boring" and "stuffy" [imho of course] be prepared to be disappointed. I was!

I find the Imperial War Museum much more innovative

Colin Bishop · « **Reply #2 on:** November 25, 2018, 08:05:51 pm »

Agree with Neil(!) Very few models on display compared with the old days. Lots of interactive kid friendly short attention span video displays. Nearby Cutty Sark is horrid the way the ship is now displayed.

If you want to take lots of photos then Portsmouth or Chatham Historic dockyards are the places to visit although Chatham is closed over the winter period.

IWM was good last time I visited some years ago and has been revamped since and I have heard good reports.

Portsmouth all the way for me!

Colin

Neil · « **Reply #3 on:** November 25, 2018, 08:25:08 pm »

The Maritime Museum at the Albert Docks, in Liverpool is, I find a far happier, friendlier and more interesting museum to visit......….and it's free.

and what better than being in one of the most interesting lovely and friendly maritime cities on earth...….

mind you I AM biased,

furball · « **Reply #4 on:** November 25, 2018, 08:56:28 pm »

Chatham Dockyard is closed from 2nd December to the 1st February.

(And hopefully by then, we’ll have a nice new lifeboat to play with).

Lance

roycv · « **Reply #5 on:** November 26, 2018, 08:38:21 am »

Hi Martin, Maritime museum seems to have moved away from model ships etc, I suppose part of it is the rather boring container ships every where. Then there is the maintenance of older models calling for long time specialist work. I believe new models have to pass a materials check before they are accepted.

I think it got worked over by one of those focus groups whch all end up with the same findings. Aim it at 13 year old school children and create a big open space for them to eat and make sure you have a cafe. A sure fire winner, I think they get funding on footfalls.

Imp war museum a much better bet for general interest always something going on.
Now for a bit of a longer journey try Maritime museums in Perth and Sydney they seem to have it right.

regards Roy

JimG · « **Reply #6 on:** November 26, 2018, 12:13:43 pm »

I think the problem with many modern museums is that they must have as large a number of visitors as they can to justify their funding. At one time museums were there to educate the masses and to show their collections to the public This led to displays filled with exhibits, often not that well labelled but on display for people to see. Now their purpose is to entertain, displays have fewer exhibits but bigger and sometimes better labelling. Monitors with interactive displays are now essential although these are often broken. It now means that most of the collections are sitting in dusty storerooms unlikely to be seen. The majority of the NMM's historic model collection is now in storage at Chatham with a few on display there. The local museum in Dundee has set up a ship display in the main gallery, one large case with models in layers from floor to ceiling. It does show more models but those higher up can't be properly seen, decks aren't visible. The labels are all at floor level and with a small enough text size that makes them difficult to read. Even then they are not all correct, a 3rd rate 74 gun ship is labelled as a frigate.
Jim

tonyH · « **Reply #7 on:** November 26, 2018, 01:16:16 pm »

Depends on whether it's the MM you want by itself or MM and the rest of Greenwich with the family? As everyone has said, the MM is a very dumbed-down version of what it was. Cafe isn't bad though

Lots of history with the observatory in Greenwich Park, if you want a climb, and the college. Decentish pubs, some specialising in fish & chips, along the front as well as the beautiful Trinity hospital along towards Woolwich. Greenwich market can be good at weekends. There used to be an amazing purveyor of fudge!
DLR is the best way to travel and providing no-one is afraid of heights the Emirates cable car is good fun.Cafe Rouge, next to Ibis Hotel, has pretty good food or The Spread Eagle opposite used to be excellent and may have re-opened if you wanted to splash out.

Geoff · « **Reply #8 on:** November 26, 2018, 02:18:42 pm »

In my opinion the Greenwich Maritime Museum is a shaddow of its former self. Only a few models on display (one very large KGV class WW2) which is impressive but pretty nearly everything else is mediocre. Our whole naval herritage displayed in about 40 feet!

As others have commented it all about "touchy feely" stuff and "environmental stuff". Sadly its no longer the history museum it used to be in its glory days. Its a funding and PC issue as anything that harks back to the British Empire is frowned upon.

To be fair the Jutland exhibition they put on was quiote goos albeit smallish particularly when you know they have access to dozens of WW1 builders models.

Evert time I've been there the curators always respond in the same way "Yes everybody asks where are all the models!"

Chatham is better but the displays vary. The big ship models are displayed in a dark room with spotlights, all very atmouspheric but no pictures allowed (Why??). There is an excellent model of a pre ww1 armourd crusier in Victorian colours to 1/48 scale. There is also a window into a storage area with a number of other large and excellent models but not really accessible to see.

The main display area has some of the models suspended by wire so you can only see their undersides (Why??). Overall there are more models at Chatham and I believe the intent is to display more of them. To be fair I haven't been to Chatham for 12/18 months so it may have contined to improve.

The London Science Museum had an excellent maritime display but this has now all gone to provide history of computers. I guess its about footfall which makes sense but if they don't advertise naval models then people won't know they are there and won't go!.

I would also agree the Imperial War Museum is pretty good.

Okay rant over, but it is frustrating when you know there are truly magnificant models about but not displayed.

roycv · « **Reply #9 on:** November 26, 2018, 03:05:39 pm »

Well Martin there you go! North or south? If you go to NMM we look forward to seeing both of the model boat photos!
Have a good journey, never was the adage "It is better to travel hopefully than to arrive" so true.
Regards Roy

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #10 on:** November 26, 2018, 05:42:43 pm »

Quote from: furball on November 25, 2018, 08:56:28 pm

Chatham Dockyard is closed from 2nd December to the 1st February.
(And hopefully by then, we’ll have a nice new lifeboat to play with).
Lance

I can't see that on the website Lance....

£24 !!!!!

- http://thedockyard.co.uk/buytickets/

Hotglove · « **Reply #11 on:** November 26, 2018, 05:47:49 pm »

Nowt to do with model boats but, if you are in Central London with an hour or two to spare check out The Wallace Collection, not far from Selfridges and free admission. They have a World class collection of arms and armour plus a wide range of paintings, ceramics and a very pleasant restaurant that has a high glass roof.
If the restaurant prices are a bit high there is a Tesco Metro nearby and benches right outside the museum.
As I say, free admission, so even a 1hr visit is worth a go.

https://www.wallacecollection.org/ - Added, Amin

gingyer · « **Reply #12 on:** November 26, 2018, 05:52:56 pm »

Quote from: Martin [Admin] on November 26, 2018, 05:42:43 pm

I can't see that on the website Lance....

£24 !!!!! - http://thedockyard.co.uk/buytickets/

.... The last time I was that way I was really not impressed with the staff attitude.
The £24 is for a yearly ticket no day ticket and then they told me I was only 45minutes before shutting time so I couldn't get entry.
I then said very nicely, I was really hoping for a few pictures of the Cavalier's director to which the person on the gate asked her supervisor
who advised I was not allowed to take any pictures without registering as a photographer and paying additional money.
Needless to say I left.

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #13 on:** November 26, 2018, 06:22:16 pm »

Quote from: gingyer on November 26, 2018, 05:52:56 pm

....not allowed to take any pictures without registering as a photographer and paying additional money.

I sort of understand that policy, publish too many photos and visitors won't come..... but not much point in me going then.

Hotglove · « **Reply #14 on:** November 26, 2018, 06:26:24 pm »

If one wishes to visit The Dockyard Model shop at Chatham Historic Dockyard one can park right outside the shop, enjoy a bit of model shopping with attentive, enthusiastic service (bought some bits there last Sunday)
On Sunday there were several models on the Mast Pond as I drove in (they finish about 13.00) the Model shop opens at 11.00, after getting my odds and ends from the shop I moved my car to a bigger car park and had a snack at the cafe in the steam shed next to HMS Cavalier.
Obviously one would need a ticket to board any of the vessels, but if you are in the area, worth a look.

Colin Bishop · « **Reply #15 on:** November 26, 2018, 07:24:41 pm »

Not sure what the staff are talking about there! I have visited Chatham twice and taken lots of photos. If they are for personal use then there should be no problem.
I don't think there can be restrictions on photos taken from public viewpoints, inside may be a bit different. Flash is understandably usually a no no but with today's cameras you often get better results without.
Colin

TheLongBuild · « **Reply #16 on:** November 26, 2018, 07:31:16 pm »

I also took many pictures all over the place, good luck with them trying to stop every one taking a picture.. Sounds a bit suspicious that info.

gingyer · « **Reply #17 on:** November 26, 2018, 09:49:26 pm »

Quote from: Colin Bishop on November 26, 2018, 07:24:41 pm

Not sure what the staff are talking about there! I have visited Chatham twice and taken lots of photos. If they are for personal use then there should be no problem.
I don't think there can be restrictions on photos taken from public viewpoints, inside may be a bit different. Flash is understandably usually a no no but with today's cameras you often get better results without.
Colin

Colin, I remember you and myself talking about this previously and we agreed either it was a new rule or a totally clueless individual
that gave me the information

Peter Fitness · « **Reply #18 on:** November 26, 2018, 10:25:48 pm »

I agree with tonyH regarding Greenwich, as a tourist I have greatly enjoyed our three visits there during our trips to the UK. We went down river on a sightseeing boat and returned on the DLR, both very pleasant. We walked through the tunnel, and spent quite a bit of time simply wandering around, althiugh I was rather disappointed in the Maritime Museum as regards models. On one visit we were lucky enough to see the Australian built replica of Captain Cook's "Endeavour" tied up there. I had been on board her in Sydney a couple of years previously, and it was a surprise to see her in Greenwich.

Peter.

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #19 on:** December 08, 2022, 10:40:04 pm »

The National Maritime Museum, Greenwich - The Models are Back!

https://youtu.be/4t7ZUl4r5X8

Geoff · « **Reply #20 on:** December 09, 2022, 03:00:23 pm »

Now that all looks like a massive improvement and I think I'll go for a visit!

Thank you for posting

Cheers

Geoff

Jonty · « **Reply #21 on:** December 25, 2022, 08:14:33 pm »

The best way from Central London to Greenwich is by Thames Clipper. If you feel energetic, get off at Canary Wharf, take the ferry to the Doubletree Docklands Hotel, look at the two docks there, then follow the waymarked path along the river to Greenwich, under three miles. If you do take the DLR, get off at Island Gardens for the view as painted by Canaletto, then walk through the tunnel to the Cutty Sark.

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Author Topic: National Maritime Museum 2018 / 19 (Read 3746 times)