Museum Design: The Priory Re-visited: Stage C Museum Display Design

Museum Design: Location of Museum Spaces

GROUND FLOOR FIRST FLOOR

PRIMARY EXHIBITION SPACESPRIORY INTERPRETATION

COMMUNITY SPACE

TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONLUBBOCK GALLERY BROMLEY GALLERY

GREAT HALLWELCOME & ORIENTATION

COMMUNITY SPACE

Images of the Collection

Museum Design: Visual Representations Museum Design: Temporary Exhibition Gallery

1 Click Netherfield ‘Vision’ demountable showcase

2 Click Netherfield ‘Tess’ demountable showcase

3 Concord ‘Beacon Muse’ adjustable & flexible LED light fittings

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Visual Representations

The design proposals will deliver imaginative and innovative displays presenting the history of the Borough of Bromley through a combination of museum objects and personal experiences. People focused stories will connect with collections to deliver a museum visit that is engaging and relevant to visitors.Each gallery space will be different, responding to the stories and collections and creating a series of identifiable offers within the museum.

The detailed design of the display areas with the museum spaces will work hand-in-glove with the architecture, maximising the opportunities presented by the building and exploring the potential for connections between the museum and the external environment. Where it is appropriate, and does not conflict with conservation requirements, natural light will be used to support the object displays and stories.

The displays and interpretation will be accessible and will engage with the broadest possible audience.

• We will maximise opportunities for impact and intimacy using images, lighting and object displays.

• We will create a variety of stimulating spaces with their own identity from the Victorian styled Lubbock gallery to the more contemporary style of the Bromley Gallery.

• By utilising a consistent ‘voice’ for the interpretation we will create a cohesive visitor experience that will bring the whole site together.

The Temporary exhibition gallery will provide a flexible environment that will allow the museum to display a range of changing exhibitions.

The design for this gallery will focus on delivering a flexible space that can accommodate a range of exhibitions in the future. Adjustable lighting, demountable showcases and a flexible hanging system will help to ensure that the gallery can be quickly re-configured by museum staff.

Because the gallery is situated within it’s own space exhibition change-overs and installs can occur with a minimum of impact on other galleries.1 Exhibits and interpretation will be developed to meet the

needs of different learning styles.

2 The displays will include opportunities for visitors to feedback and engage directly with themes and content.

3 Collections will support themes and provide an opportunity for the museum to increase the number of objects on display.2 3

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Bromley Museum: The Priory Re-visited: Stage C Museum Display DesignMuseum Design: The Bromley Gallery

Supporting the growth of industry and scientific innovation throughout the borough.

Examine how recent/ current innovations are shaping and changing our lives and what people think will change over the next 25 years.

Bromley is an interesting place, more creative and innovative than people think, with a fascinating history.

Thomas Crapper in Anerley

Joseph Swan in Bromley and first lightbulb.

The arrival of the railway, and paper mills making rag paper for Bank of England in St Mary Cray.

Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace.

Darwin; HG Wells, Enid Blyton, David Bowie, Richmal Crompton.

Muirhead and x-ray machine in Beckenham.

Gilbert Tomes’ 20th Century Electronics.

Baird Television in Crystal Palace.

Theme Two: Innovation & CreativitySub themes: Famous People

Starting thousands of years ago from prehistoric times to the arrival of the Romans then up to the present day and the newer Black and Minority Ethnic communities.

How Bromley’s been affected by conflict, including Civil War, WW1, WW2, and conflict caused by political movements, such as Suffragettes.

WW2 first and last bomb dropped on Orpington. Biggin Hill airport. Chislehurst Caves (shelter during war), and evacuees and residents that are still alive today. VC winner at Green St Green,

Napoleon III’s son’s “heroic” death in Zululand campaign (Boer war). Funeral in Chislehurst (attended by Royalty).

William Pitt The Younger at Holwood and abolition of slavery.

How the borough has been impacted by the changes to industry. History of commuters (C13th to C15th) Industrial Revolution in St Mary Cray. Arrival of railway line initially in St Mary’s Cray

Theme One: Bromley’s PastSub themes: Home Settlement, War & Conflict, Work & Local Industry

The double height area will be exploited to create visual links between the upper and lower floors of the building. We propose a series of suspended graphic boxes that may combine images, colours and text, acting as an engaging feature that articulates the space and the subject matter of the themes in the gallery below.

The exhibition space will sit within a part of the building that is on a key circulation route between a range of facilities that include; cafe, toilets, historic building and vertical circulation. This will be a dynamic, active space and the displays within it will respond to the environment. We will also seek to engage potential visitors who may be en-route to other locations or enjoying the cafe facilities.

The displays will focus on key themes that will be supported by collections and allow the story of the Borough to be told in an engaging fashion. Each theme will be interpreted through a focused ‘cluster display’ that will incorporate objects and interpretation.

The Bromley Gallery is on the ground floor of the 1959 Library extension, this space has a more contemporary feel and includes a double-height area.

Museum Design: Visual Representations

1 A central island display will provide a platform for exploring clustered themes.

2 The double-height space will be used to signpost the displays and engage with the architecture.

3 The collections will displayed to maximise impact and support the themes and stories.

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Father of heritage movement. Led the act which led to English Heritage and National Trust being created. Relationship with Darwin and contribution to understanding of evolution. Researched and commissioned first artwork depicting prehistoric man and the environment. Victorian collector who gathered items from other cultures. Invented Bank Holidays, introduced other laws to improve working life and led Protection of Ancient Monuments Act.

Theme Three: John LubbockSub themes: Famous people, Evolution and links to Darwin

The Lubbock Collection is of particular importance for Orpington and Bromley, on account both of the Lubbock family connection with Orpington and of the outstanding contribution of Sir John Lubbock, 1st Lord Avebury, to the study of archaeology, ethnography and science. Highly regarded for his scientific work on insects, he was also an important politician.

There are 238 Lubbock ethnographic items in the collection.

There are 1223 Lubbock Archaeology items, like the Palaeolithic flint handaxe from Lyell to Lubbock, Obsidan spear head, Shell Axes from Barbados, Mammoth Tusk.

The 19 Ernest Griset paintings he commissioned showing what prehistoric man might have looked like – the first of their kind.

Moth collection and egg collection (both very fragile)

Notebook by son who died in WW1, with paintings of plants in High Elms, dedicated to his father.

Collections

Bromley Museum: The Priory Re-visited: Stage C Museum Display DesignMuseum Design: The Lubbock Gallery

There is an opportunity to create a gallery that focuses on Lubbock, celebrating his life and work as well as exploring his relationship with Darwin. This will allow the display and interpretation of the museum’s extensive collection of related objects and provide a unique offer within the museum. Although the Priory was never the home of John Lubbock it’s historic interiors will provide an appropriate backdrop for the museum’s unique collection.

We intend to designate one room within the historic house for this theme, the design of which will echo the nature of a Victorian collectors study, a space stuffed full of the collection objects, like a ‘Wunderkammer’ or Cabinet of Curiosities.

At the entrance of the gallery we will introduce John Lubbock, describing his work, passions and importance. Sub themes within the rest of the space will allow the interpretation to focus on specific aspects of his life and work.

Finishes and detailing will reflect the historic nature of the space and the Victorian period in which Lubbock lived. Showcases will provide opportunities for the display of the collection within grouped sub themes and areas of the wall space will display dense groupings of images and documents.

John Lubbock is a forgotten innovator of the Victorian era. A contemporary of Charles Darwin he was an intriguing individual who claimed to have a pet wasp, now in the collection of the Natural History Museum. Bromley Museum holds part of his archaeological and ethnographic collection which comprises more than 1500 objects.

1 Display structures will reflect the Victorian origins of Lubbock. Small-scale reconstruction could add focus and personality.

2 Sir John Lubbock

3 Gallery walls will display two dimensional material; images and archives.

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Museum Design: Visual Representations

Theme Four: The PriorySub themes: Period decoration, Residents of the Priory, History of the building and its changing footprint.

The story of the site and the people who lived here from 1032 to present day.

Eadsy (chaplain of King Canute) owned the land in 1032; Hugh De Mortimer 1270;,

Used by clergymen on journeys from Lambeth to Canterbury in C13th, expanded by Prior Selling in 1471. Thomas Wilkinson 1475-1511.

Rare pre-reformation Rectory – why did it survive? John Bancroft 1608-1640

Honourable Richard Spencer during Civil War (ancestor of Diana Spencer and Winston Churchill); Gee and Carew family (connected to Lubbock family?); Benjamin Green Lake imprisoned for embezzlement; Schletters who emigrated to Africa; Hughes who put in arts and Crafts garden.

The narrative throughout the building should demonstrate the cumulative historic significance of the post Reformation alterations over the centuries, showing how the Medieval building was converted to family use, Georgianised and then re-Medievalised. It was eventually opened to the public under municipal ownership.

Photographs showing historical interior of the house.

Will of Hon Richard Spencer online (family discord with daughters).

Artwork showing exterior of house over last 200 years.

Tudor Rose from an outbuilding.

Clay pipes from Georgian building.

Domestic items found on site, assumed to be from the Priory, e.g door bells.

Victorian crucifixion stained glass scene.

Victorian replica Delft tiles from office.

George Rose 1942 plans for the Priory (showing building before demolished and library built)

Local studies may have floor plans of out buildings on old site.

Collections

Bromley Museum: The Priory Re-visited: Stage C Museum Display DesignMuseum Design: The Priory

Throughout the historic portion of the museum there will be elements of interpretation that tell the story of the building and it’s inhabitants.

A timeline in the great hall will provide a single overview of the building’s history. Additional graphic interpretation located throughout the museum will focus on individual rooms and locations. Where possible the interpretation will be located in accessible positions so that less mobile visitors will still be able to explore parts of the building they are not able to physically access.

The interpretation will be low-key and in keeping with the nature of the historic building. Archive images will provide a window into the museum’s past.

PROPOSED LOCATIONS FOR PRIORY INTERPRETATION

1 Interpretation will be simple and sympathetic to the historic architecture

2 Images of the historic building will tell the story of it’s changing use

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Museum Design: Visual Representations