Museum of London/Docklands Summer Events

August 2010

1. Withnail & I (1987), 15

Two out-of-work actors from Camden exchange squalid city living for a holiday in the countryside. Starring Richard E. Grant.

Minimum age: 15

FREE

Dates and times

Sunday, 1 August, 14.00 - 15.50

2. Victorian poverty

Join curator Beverly Cook to learn about the lives of London's poor in the second half of the 19th century. This tour will explore, through objects on display, how London struggled to provide adequate housing, clean water and basic sanitation for its growing population.

FREE

Dates and times
Friday, 6 August, 14.45 - 15.15

3. The art of...archaeological illustration

Celebrate the Festival of British Archaeology with a course! This series of five-one day workshops is lead by Museum of London illustration specialist, Sandra Rowntree, and will appeal to both newcomers and specialists alike. This is an opportunity for participants to practise their drawing skills within a supportive environment and to learn about the equipment needed and the conventions used in the illustration of archaeological objects, including scaled drawings and drawing for publications. The small class size means that participants will be able to interact freely with both the tutor and fellow students to generate an exchange of ideas and maximise learning. All materials are provided, but feel free to bring along your own pens if your have them. You will be given a booklet covering the content of the course and a booklist to take home with you, as well as receiving a certificate of attendance. Each day focuses on a different type of archaeological find: medieval tiles (July 31); iron (August 7); bronze (August 14); Roman pottery (August 21); flint tools (4 Sept). Mornings will start with an introduction and demonstration by Sandra, followed by a drawing workshop, and afternoons will be spent learning about side views, sections and inking in. You can enrol for one or two days only, or for the entire course. There is a discount for participants who wish to enrol for all five days. A trained artist, archaeologist and teacher, Sandra has worked at Museum of London Archaeology as a Senior Illustrator for over five years. She started her career at English Heritage and since then has taught archaeological illustration to adults for Newcastle and Cambridge Universities' extra-mural departments, as well as working in Africa and Europe on excavations, working full-time and gaining her Certificate of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.

Fee £40: advanced booking required.
In partnership with Museum of London Archaeology

Dates and times
Saturday, 7 August, 10.15 - 17.00

Saturday, 14 August, 10.15 - 17.00

Saturday, 21 August, 10.15 - 17.00

4. Roman amphitheatre

Visit the remains of London's only Roman amphitheatre with curator Jenny Hall. See the excavated remains of the amphitheatre preserved beneath the Guildhall Yard. Learn about the history of the site and the archaeological evidence for its later occupation. Each ticket includes a guided tour and entrance to the Guildhall Art Gallery.

Fee £5 (concs. £3): advanced booking required.

Dates and times
Thursday, 12 August, 14.00 - 15.00

5. World City Music afternoons

Enjoy live music from around the world in a series of free Sunday afternoon concerts by outstanding world musicians now based in London. These performances are part of Cultural Co-operation's World City project 2009-14. See www.culturalco-operation.org for further details.

FREE
In partnership with Cultural Co-operation

Dates and times
Sunday, 15 August, 12.00 - 12.30

Sunday, 15 August, 14.00 - 14.30

6. Toy stories

Study and handle toys and games found at archaeological sites over the past thirty years, including medieval chess-pieces and toy aeroplanes. Other items range from Roman bone counters to leather footballs lost during the Second World War. Running alongside this event will be an activity for children.

FREE

Dates and times
Friday, 20 August, 12.00 - 15.30

7. The making of the Pleasure Gardens

Discover some of the challenges that faced our curators when preparing the Galleries of Modern London's Pleasure Gardens exhibit. With its specially created film sequence, replica and original costumes, lighting and real trees, a curator will explain how they succeeded in bringing the display together.

FREE

Dates and times
Tuesday, 24 August, 13.00 - 13.45

8. Lay lines in the limelight

Watch a performance of Align - a fast-paced and mesmerizing audio-visual essay on the secret landscape of London. Part presentation, part performance art, Align brings together psychogeographers Robert Kingham and Richard Cochrane as they explore themes of imperialism, exploitation, prehistory and myth within the context of ancient lay lines.

Fee £5 (concs. £3): tickets on application.

Dates and times
Wednesday, 25 August, 18.00 - 20.00

Museum of Docklands. West India Quay, E14 4AL. Open Daily 10am-6pm. Last Admission 5.30pm 020 7001 9844

Adult events

August 2010

1. London, sugar and slavery

Uncover London's involvement in the transatlantic slave trade with this thought-provoking tour.

FREE

Dates and times
Tuesday, 3 August, 15.00 - 16.00

2. Tolerance in Diversity

See a film produced by young people from Tower Hamlets looking at racial tolerance in East London since the murder of Altab Ali in the late 1970s and join the discussion that follows. Working with the Museum of London, students have looked closely at Ali's murder and how racial attitudes have changed in London since. This short film was created as a response to their investigations. Following the screening there will be a discussion on tolerance and diversity in the capital.

FREE: tickets on application.

Dates and times

Wednesday, 4 August, 18.30 - 19.30

3. Growing up in uniform

In association with the current Girl Guides exhibition, Curator Jim Gledhill explores the history of uniformed youth movements in London from the end of the Boer War to the beginning of World War Two. Movements looked at will include the Girl Guides, the Scouts and the Kibbo Kift - a woodcraft and camping movement of great social and political importance between the world wars. This talk will offer the opportunity to see related objects from the Museum's collection.

FREE

Dates and times
Thursday, 5 August, 13.00 - 13.45

4. Vocaleyes

By focusing on key objects, explore Docklands history in this gallery tour for visually impaired visitors.

FREE

Dates and times
Sunday, 8 August, 15.00 - 15.30

5. Docks in wartime

Hear about the drama and devastation of the docks during wartime. Discover the impact of the Blitz and 'Black Saturday' and learn how the docks helped prepare for the D-Day landings.

FREE: tickets on application.

Dates and times
Tuesday, 17 August, 15.00 - 15.40

6. Janie Hampton: How the Girl Guides Won the War

Janie Hampton talks about the often overlooked contribution made to the war effort by the Girl Guides and her new book How the Girl Guides Won the War. A book signing follows.

Fee £5 (concs £3): advanced booking required.

Dates and times
Wednesday, 18 August, 19.00 - 20.30

7. Hue and Cry (1947), U

Our Ealing comedies series kicks off with the story of a gang of street boys who foil the workings of a master crook.

FREE

Dates and times
Sunday, 29 August, 14.00 - 15.20