Colour and Vision

There’s a million extraordinary things about the Natural History Museum in South Ken, its stunning gothic building, it’s incredible permanent displays and of course dinosaurs but over recent years its failed me on the exhibition front,  although the images are great I’ve become a bit tired of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Corals was an interesting idea but didn’t live up to its posters on content (was I the only one who thought there would be more live fish?) but I loved the scenescape of the show.

But spending some time in their latest show Colour and Vision I was completed thrilled to see the density of the collection on display, the incredible design and detailed content – the exhibition really is a feast for the eyes. The shows intention is to ‘Follow a 565-million-year journey through the eyes of nature’ and it does just that.

The exhibition is instantly given an exciting feel as it opens with a light installation by Liz West commissioned by the museum for the exhibition, a great video on the museum website documents the artists journey towards making the work in thinking about the influence of the specimens and their presence in the space too.

Exploirng the evolution of the eye the richness of the Natural History Museums collection is showcased by a whole wall of pickled eyes checking out the visitors and even Darwin's pet Octopus (yep!) makes an appearence to show that the similarities between Octopuses eyes and humans.

Londonist.com

The theme of colour is again explored with the richness of the collection and the incredible stacking of showcases in the later sections showing off the full spectrum and discussing how some colour in the natural world can stand the test of time.

This is a really great show from the Natural History Museum not only because of its extraordinary design and showcasing of permenant collections but also because of its presence outside the gallery space. The exhibition posters across London are striking and stimulating and luring to an adult audience. The online participation is for this too with a social media driven interactive where anyone can upload a picture of their eye to feature on the eye wall in the exhibition space and the website. And again the NHM's buyers out do themselves with a fabulous range in the shop including on trend colouring books and colourful homeware.

The exhibition really is a must-see this autumn!

Plus learn more here on the amazing Exhibition Developer Fiona Cole -Hamilton here.

My #HistoricalValentine: Dippy the Dinosaur

I never thought I would be writing you this letter...

There was a time when I thought you would always be there as I walked through the front door, forever present and smiling down on me. But the years have chipped away at our bones and worn through the replacements and I can't be the mount to hold all of your broken pieces together any more, and with that I understand that its time for us to go our separate ways. 

Of course, I can't deny that I am angry with you for the way you have been over the years. The lies, the deception. I know  now that you have not always been a true reflection of yourself, down to the core you are fake.  So many see you and believe you are  true and honest but I know you're not, I know the truth and you're not as dense as you seem. I think with this separation you need to take some time to fix your fragile health, invest some time in seeing a conservator and come back, stronger and happier than ever, maybe even meet some new lovers as you explore the world. 

There are your faults yes but I know that there's more to it, there are powers beyond yours that are making this decision to tear us apart. I think we have both done everything we could and pursued every option available to try to keep this relationship together over the past 35 years, but now nothing can keep you from returning to the stores. Many are shocked and saddened by the sudden decision for you to leave, and I am too. But, I understand this is for real and I want you to know you will always be loved and not forgotten. 

Memories are all we have now and my gosh there are some happy ones, the first time I saw you, the way you have lit up over the years and been the life and soul of the party. This change will be hard and seeing you packed up into crates and dismantled will be heartbreaking but the home you leave will continue to thrive. You're place in the hall will be empty and as the décor and content changes your ghost will remain.  I'll be here watching new and old friends in the place you once occupied  and we'll probably wonder why we hadn't ended the relationship sooner.

I want you to know I wish you all the best. You have a lot of great qualities that will serve you well in the future. Let's try to remember the good times, let go of our present miseries, and have the common sense to move on.

Goodbye and farewell Dippy.

Sad dinosaurs and happy surgeons in The Time's 50 Best Museums

In case you missed it, last weekend The Times Magazine ran afeature on the world’s 50 best museums. The article begins, ‘Museums are notmusty repositories of outmoded relics. They are vivid compendiums of ourcultural life.’ We here at the Ministry couldn’t agree more. But how did theTimes rank a globe full of fabulous museums into only 50? And more importantly,how did London fare on this illustrious list? Don’t worry if you don’tsubscribe because we have it all right here for you. (Well thefirst 20 at least…)

First question is, of course, who ranked number one? Who claims the crown in total world museum domination? Drumroll please….

SMITHSONIAN INSTIUTION. Wait…what? As in all the Smithsonianstogether? Really? That seems hardly fair to somehow blend together the Sackler,the American History Museum and the National Air and Space Museum amongstothers into one behemoth competitor. Whatever, we guess the Smithsonians arealready. But just you watch out Washington DC coming up right behind you is ourfirst London museum!

It is….

The British Museum! And boring again. Just seems a bitobvious and derivative really. Of course the British Museum is wonderful, whywouldn’t they be? They have all the culture from the rest of the worldsquirreled away. Lets continue down the list and see if can get past CaptainObvious.

After a stop off in Greece the number four best museum inthe world is…

Sir John Soane’s Museum! Woooaaahhh out of no where! Way to get inthere small obscure London house museum of architectural history. This is oneof my favourite museums in London so I am glad but a bit shocked to see it sohigh up on the list! Really well done Soane’s Museum, now get back to openingup more of the house.

Number 5 is the American Natural History Museum in New York(fair enough, everyone loves a good diorama) and then on number 6, the ImperialWar Museum.

To be fair, they have ranked all of the Imperial War Museums acrossthe UK in one category. They even gave a shout out to IWM North in Manchester,in my opinion probably the best one. So hooray for military history getting inearly.

Number 7 is not a London based museum but the Topkapi Museumin Istanbul. Despite my undying love for this city, this has to deserve aspecial mention. The Topkapi museum is one of my favourites ever so really niceto see it going so well! At number 8 is Versailles…? Is Versailles a museum? Isuppose technically it is. Its gorgeous. We’ll accept it.

Our next London museum coming in at a very respectablenumber 9 is the V&A. I am really surprised the V&A is down at number 9,below the IWM. This museum is kicking some serious ass this year with two newpermanent galleries opening and a series of absolute smash hit exhibitions(Hollywood Costume, Bowie). Huh, well, everyone loves the V&A they don’tneed the publicity.

Number 10 is the National Museum of China and at number 11the Pitt Rivers Museum! Ooo interesting. This is a bit of a divisive one formuseum people. As a Victorianist I am completely obsessed with the Pitt Rivers.But as one London colleague recently pointed out to me spiritedly at anopening, what have they done in the last 150 years? To be fair they do a lot ofamazing research, but I can see his point.

At number 12 its… wait a minute, the Science Museum? A hush falls over the crowd. Are you meaningto tell me that the Science Museum has beaten in the ratings its SouthKensington neighbour and fiercest of rivals the Natural History Museum? Sorry,but NHM isn’t even here in the top 20, relegated to 21. Do you need some aloevera for that burn? Complete scandal in the museum world. Me, I really like theScience Museum. I think they have done a lot recently to make their offeringreally fun and dynamic, lates are brilliant, they finally have some kind of atemporary exhibition schedule going. They are also opening two new galleries inthe near future: Media Space and the unfortunately named ‘Information Age’. TheMinistry is not part of the London set which spurns the Science Museum at everyopportunity (cough Museums Showoff) but really, what a shocker!

Our next LondonMuseum comes at number 15 and it is the Hunterian Museum at the Royal Collegeof Surgeons. Damn, Lincoln’s Inn Fields’ small museums are getting some seriouslove in this article! The Hunterian is undeniably my favourite museum in Londonand it so wonderful to see a medical museum finally getting some seriousattention! They seem to know how to celebrate their 200^thanniversary right between this seriously high rating and a new exhibitionopening this week (we tweeted some sneak-peek images just a few days ago!) Withtheir star clearly on the rise, the Hunterian is one to watch.

And none for you Natural History Museum.

I said I wouldn’tbore you any longer than 20 into the list, and that’s it for London’s museumsI’m afraid! Sorry NHM, 21 doesn’t quite make the grade! Oh stop it now, thevisitor figures for Natural History are off the charts, I think they can getby. The rest of the list reads like a dream vacation for me. The Museo Nacionalde Antropologia in Mexico City is number 43, the Luxor Museum in Egypt is 38,the Museum of the Moving Image in New York at 22 and the Vasa Museum inStockholm at 32.

The Ministry's Gift Shop Guide.

Here at The Ministry we love the gift shop just as much as the exhibition. How else can you feel like a collector on a Museum professionals salary? Well, we have found ten of the best pieces in London Museum's Gift Shops for under £30

Thanks to That Fall by Naomi Campbell in the 90's
I'm far too scared to ever wear platforms this high but I
can still ogle Viv Westwood's beautiful shoes with
this postcard 
70p @  V&A

Who doesn't want a giant pen lid as a desk tidy.
At least you can't choke on it.
£11.95 @ Design Museum

It looks like she needs a cuddle. 
Grab this cushion cover for only £15 from Tate

Make a mistake and let David Bowie
correct it with this rubber
£1.50 V&A

Every Cabinet of Curiosity needs an indication that
you have been somewhere or are planning to travel.
This book is the perfect starting point and its colourful!
'Folio Society: What are the Seven Wonders of the World'
£24.99 @ British Museum

Isn't Vintage style apothecary a darling?
 For only £10 @ Museum of London
you pretend you're a medical collector like Henry Wellcome.

It couldn't get any cuter! Influenced by Ice Age Art
Exhibition the British Museum have these Mamommoth Tagua
Necklaces for £24.99. And it's fairtrade.

It's a Lego Lunchbox!
£10 @ Science Museum

Ermmm, so I found this 'Poo in a Box'
 @ Natural History Museum for £5
It's basically a great fertile starter to grow the sunflower seeds provided.

We all need a momento like this so we can ask ourselves
What Would Darwin Do?
This 11cm high Charles Darwin Bust is only
£18.00 from @ National Portrait Gallery