Latest news with #historicalexhibits
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Florida's last House of Refuge history museum in Stuart closed for $1.79 million repair
The House of Refuge at Gilbert's Bar in Stuart is undergoing a $1.79 million renovation. Built in 1876, it's the oldest building in Martin County and perhaps the Treasure Coast, and it's the last of 10 lifesaving stations on Florida's east coast where shipwreck survivors recuperated from their ordeal. It will reopen early next year after closing June 1 for its biggest and most expensive renovation, which will include a new roof, revived main deck and other structural improvements, according to county spokesperson Martha Kneiss. The building, at 301 S.E. MacArthur Blvd., has undergone much restoration work in the past 149 years and was even moved inland about 30 feet to protect it from encroaching high tides. It was closed for about a year in 1998, when a $400,000 restoration included new signs, exhibits, accessibility and cultural recognition, according to Catherine Larsen, the keeper of the house. Previous restorations have restored the roof, siding, watchtower, north-side chimney and termite-ridden wood that included Dade County pine. House of Refuge: History museum has seen better days, but don't count it out Photo gallery: See changes during 2022 restoration The house was converted into a museum in the 1950s. A boathouse built in 1935 has been used as a gift shop. Another building is used for lectures, luncheons and other events. Martin County rents the grounds for weddings. The basement under the porch contains historical exhibits dating from before European settlers to the World War II era. The Coast Guard used the watchtower to check for enemy ships and submarines offshore during WWII. Martin County is paying for the restoration. The Historical Society of Martin County manages the House of Refuge as well as the Elliott Museum. Valeria Bartra is TCPalm's intern. Contact her at This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida House of Refuge history museum in Stuart closed for renovation
BBC News
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
What you need to know for Chalke History Festival
Bringing everything from living history exhibits to traditional crafts and a soldier's march, the week-long Chalke History Festival kicks off again from 23 to 29 June it incorporates more than 175 experts, including big names like Kevin McCloud, Al Murray, Michael Palin and Ian exhibits and displays increase as the week goes on, including the chance to see armoured combat, all from a working farm in Broad Chalke, deep in the Wiltshire countryside near open at 16:15 BST on Monday and Tuesday, and 09:15 BST the rest of the week. What's on? From talks, living history and hands-on experiences to live music, children's activities and vivacious historians - organisers say there is something for everyone. There are also some new features this year, including a speakers tent that hosts 900 people and a new After Dark programme in a tent appropriately named 'The Henge' for its Wiltshire visitors will find music, but also speakers on monsters and are 158 events in the main programme four places for talks, they often happen simultaneously and range from ancient to modern history. Followers of history podcasts will recognise Tom Holland, while avid readers of historical fiction will recognise names like Kate Mosse and Tracy will also be Romans meeting World War Two soldiers in the living history, where people can see anything from smelting to cooking and are also numerous food and shopping stalls. How do I get there? The site is along Bury Lane in Broad Chalke near Salisbury, and its narrow roads means there is a one-way system in recommend allowing extra time for those driving and following the signs to the festival rather than a nearest railway station is Salisbury and it is about a 45 minute drive from number 29 bus has the nearest stop - at the church - leaving a third of a mile walk to the festival. It does not run on the Sunday however. How do I get tickets? Previous visitors will notice a change in the way tickets are issued this year. Instead of being for individual talks or just for going onto the site itself, they include everything except some extras like the wild west are day, evening, weekend and full week tickets, with the weekend usually the a whole week pass is £200, evening tickets (for after 16:15 BST on weekdays) are £29 and full day tickets are £58. There are discounts for students and children can get in are available online with some available on the day subject to availability, with camping and glamping an option too.
The Sun
10-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
UK's oldest museum reveals new £11.6million redevelopment plan
A FREE to visit museum that claims to be the oldest in the UK has revealed what to expect ahead of it's multi-million pound makeover. The Royal Armouries - which is home to the national collection of arms and armour - in Leeds, has secured a government loan to purchase the land it stands on. 4 4 According to the BBC, the director of the museum Nat Edwards said: "We pride ourselves on being the world's oldest museum. "We've been around since at least the early 14th Century, but for most of our history it was sitting in the Tower of London "This is the first time in 702 years that we've owned our own home." The Royal Armouries moved from London to Leeds in the 1990s as part of a project to regenerate what was a "pretty grim, post industrial" part of the city. The museum is publicly-owned and free to visit and includes items from around the world such as Henry VIII's armour and James Bond 's Walther PPK. Mr Edwards added that as well as securing a home for the different historical exhibits, the deal would also protect the museum's future. Part of the future plans for the site include the development of the tityard site - which is used for jousting matches and displays - into a multipurpose riverside arts, events and conference space. The museum is also planning to refurbish its exhibition galleries, which includes adding digital technology. Plans include immersive spaces to help improve educational experiences too. Mr Edwards suggest that this space could see the recreation of a battlefield experience - bringing the history to life. Science and Industry museum manchester In addition, the wider site that the museum acquired around Leeds Dock is also been looked at for new housing developments. Mr Edwards shared shared that the museum is keen to support wider housing development in the south side of Leeds, but thinks that the area around the Armouries is "such an important public space". The Royal Armouries also works with the Ministry of Defence to help new recruits into the army better understand the realities of war. And the museum works with the Border Force, the police and various other intelligence services - some of which involves training AI systems to detect weapons in suitcases and working with the police to limit the effects of 3D printed weapons. Mr Edwards shared that the key to the museum's success was developing these partnerships and creating spaces and tools to tell the stories of human conflict. The museum's collection includes items which detail British colonial history in East Africa, for example. Last year, one of the UK's biggest free attractions revealed more plans for its massive £1billion revamp. Plus, a Sun reporter headed to London's newest immersive attraction designed for selfie-loving tourists.
BBC News
08-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Royal Armouries: UK's oldest museum sets out plan after £11m deal
After the Royal Armouries in Leeds secured an £11.69m government loan to purchase the land it stands on, director Nat Edwards spoke to the BBC about what the deal will mean for the museum."We pride ourselves on being the world's oldest museum," Mr Edwards said."We've been around since at least the early 14th Century, but for most of our history it was sitting in the Tower of London"This is the first time in 702 years that we've owned our own home."The Royal Armouries moved to Leeds from London in the 1990s as the anchor project in a scheme to regenerate what he said was then a "pretty grim, post-industrial" part of the and free to visit the museum features items from around the world, ranging from Henry VIII's armour to James Bond's Walther Edwards, director general and master of the Armouries, said as well as securing a home for the vast array of historical exhibits the deal would also provide a springboard for the museum's said a major part of their future plans for the site included the development of the tiltyard site, which is used for jousting matches and displays, into a multipurpose riverside arts, events and conference space."[We want] to really develop that site into something that can do not just the jousting, but lots of other things too," he museum is also planning a major refresh of its exhibition galleries, to bring in the latest in terms of digital technology. The Royal Armouries principal function is to maintain the national collection of arms and Edwards said that meant "making it accessible to everybody, for free and forever".He said the museum had been good at building commercial relationships on the land it currently occupies and has created a major conference and meetings special exhibitions and its jousting displays, he said these helped to generate income to support its work. In terms of the wider site the museum has acquired around Leeds Dock, Mr Edwards said they had been approached about "straightforward housing developments"."We are keen to support wider housing development in the south side of Leeds, but we think of the area around the Armouries as such an important public space we are keen to develop it very much with the public in mind."He said that would include an extended Armouries Square and a multi-purpose building on the tiltyard site with a flexible events are also looking at creating immersive spaces to help improve the educational experiences they offer to help students learn about life during conflicts."Imagine doing that in a space where you can recreate, using immersive technology, a battlefield experience and how much that could bring history to life," he said."That goes right through to the kind of work we are doing with the Ministry of Defence to help new recruits into the army better understand the realities of war." The Royal Armouries also works with the Border Force, the police and various intelligence services, some of which involves training AI systems to detect weapons in suitcase and working with the police to help mitigate the effects of 3D printed Edwards said the key to the museum's continuing success was developing these partnerships and creating the spaces and tools to collaborate on telling the story of "hundreds of years of human conflict.""[It is] a really important story that touches every life and we know we can't tell that story on our own."He said in the collection, as an example, were items which detail British colonial history in East Africa which, he said, can be displayed and tell a very interesting and educational story."But right now in the city we have people who have come from Sudan and have direct, lived experience of religious conflict and civil war and have a completely different perspective of those items."Mr Edwards said if you put those together you can tell a story which is "10 times more informative, ten times more powerful and has ten times the chance of perhaps helping people avoid conflict in the future."That's really what we are about." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
