#modelchat: Displays get sassy

Maybe we've spent a little too much time in museum galleries: but are we the only ones who imagine models and mannequin displays have a life of their own? Whether you've idled away the hours as a gallery attendant or maybe been involved in some display change overs, you've probably some across that favourite interpretation devise of yore: the miniature and/or mannequin scene. We'll never know if it was the model makers intention, or maybe we are reading too much into it, but we find if you look closely, these miniature historical personages tend to be pretty sassy. And if you listen closely, you may just get to hear the tales they have to tell...

Dahhling aren't those petunias mahvelous! From the Egyptian Gallery
of the National Museum Scotland

It all started with this little gem from a recent visit to the National Museum Scotland. But once we trawled through our phones, we found so many more sassy miniatures and mannequins...

By Jove! My ingenious design has worked!
From the former Shipping Gallery of the Science Museum.

A cheeky caption written by a documentation officer during the decant of the Science Museum's shipping gallery. He certainly does look startled to see that fish...

A terrifying mannequin scene. That little girl is laughing merrily
while the man next to him dies from the tube fumes. The chap
at the back remains accusatory. Forever.
From the London Transport Museum.

I think the caption says it all. Let's not forget we have a particular phobia of mannequins (see previous #museumfear post)

Not the sassiest of miniatures, but the lady in green looks pretty bored
From the stores of the Science Museum

Not the sassiest of models, nor one of the most accurate. Doubtful life in a mill was quitest this peaceful and organised.

What is this- a ship for ants? It's going to need to be at least five
times this big! 

These models were getting so heated we just had to be involved. Stop referencing Zoolander you lot!

Do you have any sassy models/miniatures/mannequins in your museum? And if so, do they speak to you? Let your museum's unsung heroes a voice, and tweet their story using #modelchat.