DCMVOX #021 August 2017

#021 – August 2017

Dorset County Museum Volunteer Newsletter There are always hard copies of DCMVOX in the Library, Common Room and signing in drawer. If you would like to receive this newsletter by email please send your contact details to Anna Butler on secretary@dorsetcountymuseum.org

Welcome to Issue No.21 of DCMVOX… Items for the “My Favourite Object” or any other suggestions, welcome for the next and subsequent issues or DCMVOX. E-mail offerings to Anna on secretary@dorsetcountymuseum.org - thank you!

Help!

We are commencing a major clearance of both John White’s Rectory and the Craft Market (the dilapidated building behind the TSB Bank). Starting from Monday 14th August we need to supplement the curatorial staff in order to carry out this task. This is long out-standing work which will improve our Social History Collection and will streamline our transition to Tomorrow’s Museum for Dorset. Can you help?    

Director and Curatorial team to decide upon the fate of items Retained items to be unwrapped, cleaned, condition-checked and boron treated (as appropriate) Where appropriate, items to be moved from John White’s Rectory to other storage spaces (4/5 Colliton Street or Old School) As appropriate, items to be disposed

Please note that the very large and heavy items, the cart, bell ringing mechanisms, cheese-press and so on, will not be moved.

Main Exhibition: 8th April to 6th January 2018 David West: Under the Surface An exhibition of paintings and carvings

The Craft Market is an unpleasant place to work and you will need to be prepared to get very dirty. Unwrapping, cleaning, condition checking and wrapping are all specialist tasks. Lifting and shifting less specialised, but subject to physical strength and ability. If you can help, you will need to wear sturdy shoes/boots, gloves, old clothes. If the weather is wet, you will need waterproofs. If you would like more information before committing yourself, please contact David James (262735).

If you do think you can help, please contact Anna in the first instance — 01305 262735.

Tea Room 12th June to 9th September Martinstown Botanical Group

For all the latest updates and news, please visit www.tomorrowsmuseumfordorset.org and sign up to the e-newsletter for the latest developments.

Dorset County Museum, High West Street, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1XA Tel: 01305 262735 - www.dorsetcountymuseum.org

Visitor Quote of the Month: A lovely museum with unexpected finds and treats at every turn.

We were delighted to be able to take part in the British Council for Archaeology’s Festival this year. We put on a number of events including object identification, tours of the stores, guided tours of the Ancient Dorset Gallery and bath-time for the Whitcombe Warrior.

Visits to the Archaeology Store—Richard Breward During the Festival of Archaeology, 15th to 30th July, the store in All Saints church was open to visitors on Tuesdays. We hosted a total of four tours with 30+ visitors. During the tours the visitors were able to witness the archaeology volunteers working as well as having presentations on the organisation of the stores and everything within it from Palaeolithic axes to post medieval and later pottery, and from data recording to pot reconstruction. There was also a presentation of metalwork, from Bronze Age to Post Medieval, given by the metalwork room volunteers. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who took part for their professionalism and for their enthusiasm.

Guided Tours of Ancient Dorset Gallery— Terry Riggs The tours, offered on two days and timed for morning and afternoon, concentrated attention on focussed artefact groupings in the Ancient Dorset Gallery. It was a joy to engage with visitors and interact with insights and feedback from visitors.

The Museum Tea Room is being re-vamped Do you have any vintage-style crockery which you would be happy to donate? We are looking for tea cups, tea plates and tea pots. Items must be in perfect condition but do not have to match.

Perhaps to be expected on sunny days, it proved more rewarding to approach individuals on an ad hoc basis by roaming around the gallery. By engaging with interested visitor, I found they often possessed a deep knowledge of the subject.

Thanks to everyone who made this Festival a success.

Thanks!

Welcome to our new volunteers….

Two new volunteers this month: Tim Hill has joined our Visitor Services team as a much needed volunteer, and Emily Morgan, who many folk will know as a young local artist, has joined David James and his Fine Art team in the Old School. Our ‘Dippy’ project continues to attract new volunteers: to date Cathy B and I are working on 53 applications, plus those from existing volunteers .

BUT we still need more, in all departments so encourage your friends to apply.

WE NEED YOU— PLEASE HELP US New volunteers are always welcome, but we are not able to offer placements to anyone aged under 18 ; it would be a great help if you would make this clear to anyone who expresses an interest in joining us.

Jill Minchin Volunteer Co-ordinator and Trustee