What the NRM (York or Shildon) do well

[brack]

Recent unfortunate decisions to give away historical artefacts notwithstanding, the NRM do a good job. We've all had the chance of a good whinge about their missteps, so I thought that it might be a good idea to have a thread explaining what they do well - less so the "well they've got Mallard" but more which little bits and pieces work well.

 

I have a 4 year old daughter and a wife who is interested in things but is not a railway enthusiast. We visit shildon every month or two and York every few years.

 

Things which have struck a chord:

 

The snowplough film next to the snowplough - the child loves it.

 

The ambulance train exhibit - wife and daughter found it really interesting (when we explained it to the little one) - a year later and she sometimes brings it up. I think being able to walk in the vehicle really made it real for her - she spends a lot of time looking in the windows of the sleeping car, or trying the seat cushions at Shildon. Perhaps being able to actually get into the vans/wagons/coaches might make things more real (within reason - not sure how you'd get in and out of a HAA easily, but a van, a 5 plank open, a coach should all be relatively easy).

 

Getting in the cabs of locos (everyone likes this)

 

My wife enjoyed the explanation of the controls etc. in (I think) Green Arrow recently - obviously needs someone there who knows what they're talking about, but very effective.

 

My daughter likes the various 'games' at shildon - the loading the wagon, the signal reaction game, the carriage seats etc.

 

The events at Shildon - the recent modelling one was very interesting - putting extra things into an existing setting keeps things fresh (the ships, the paper models of planes etc were fascinating). The 5" gauge lines laid out was great.

[Norm81]

Free entry

Getting into cabs

York does good food imo

 

Probably a lot more too.

[Ian_M]

My family are regular visitors to York NRM.

 

We like the miniature railway, the regularly changing exhibition galleries, the workshop viewing gallery, the play areas. Sometimes there are films playing in the upstairs theatre - they should do that more. I also like the cafe where a 'friends of NRM' card gets a whopping great discount.

[brack]

definitely the free entry too - hence the repeated visits. I think free entry should mean free entry though - no guilt tripping or suggested donation signs on boxes - they just insult people and make them feel like they have to sneak in past them.

 

The brake van rides at shildon are good value though, and about the right length for a small child.

 

The variety of locos and their vastly different styles/shapes/colours is important too.

[APOLLO]

I visited the Nevada state railroad museum in Carson City Nevada a few years ago. I remember talking to a curator there, his opinion was that the NRM at York as "the best railroad museum in the world - awesome".

 

I could not disagree, but his museum was also full of interest - AND we got to ride a hand pumped railcar - hard work that was !!!!

 

Brit15

[jjb1970]

definitely the free entry too - hence the repeated visits. I think free entry should mean free entry though - no guilt tripping or suggested donation signs on boxes - they just insult people and make them feel like they have to sneak in past them.

 

 

 

I generally put money in the donation box but a couple of times I've deliberately not done it in protest at the tactics using emotional blackmail to extort donations. Either the museum is free or it isn't. If it is free then people are under no obligation to make any donation. If they want to insist that people "make a donation" then introduce an entrance charge but don't tell the world it's free and then fill the entrance hall with chuggers and send people on a guilt trip. I just object to that on principle, put the collection boxes out and have a poster suggesting that people make a donation by each box and leave it at that.

[EddieB]

Having visited many of the major national and large private museums around the world, I'd definitely say that the NRM ranks among the best.  What it does well, for me, is that it retains a "wow" factor, displays its major exhibits in good light and good positions (neither too spacious nor too cramped), isn't too "arty" (yet) and has friendly and informative staff (many, I suspect volunteers).

 

Just a question (as I've only visited "out of season") - does the NRM ever use actors to recount stories to visitors during school holidays?  

 

We've met "Yuri Gagarin" at the Science Museum and "Mary Anning" at the Natural History Museum (who was clean bowled by my kids as she couldn't recall the name of her dog that appears in the famous portrait on display there), alongside other story-tellers at other museums.  In each case, having someone bring a historic character to life has proved fascinating for young and old alike.  

 

 

 

PS Mary Anning's dog was called "Tray".  IIRC the poor beast was killed in a rock fall.

[jjb1970]

I think that British museums tend to be at the higher end of the scale. My favourites are the IWM at Duxford and the RAF museum at Hendon, followed by the natural history museum, V&A and science museum. All of those museums are genuinely world class and something to be proud of. I haven’t been to York for a few years but we are visiting next week on our way up to Cumbria. I think that things get a lot more variable as you move down into the smaller and private museums but that is normal and the same in any country, at their best the smaller and private museums can be outstanding too.

[Sir Hadyn]

I generally put money in the donation box but a couple of times I've deliberately not done it in protest at the tactics using emotional blackmail to extort donations. Either the museum is free or it isn't. If it is free then people are under no obligation to make any donation. If they want to insist that people "make a donation" then introduce an entrance charge but don't tell the world it's free and then fill the entrance hall with chuggers and send people on a guilt trip. I just object to that on principle, put the collection boxes out and have a poster suggesting that people make a donation by each box and leave it at that.

I often wait at the entrances to meet people coming to see me. I've never witnessed emotional blackmail, just a polite question if the incomer would like to make a donation. Many don't give then, but do on the way out, or via a donation box.

[jjb1970]

I often wait at the entrances to meet people coming to see me. I've never witnessed emotional blackmail, just a polite question if the incomer would like to make a donation. Many don't give then, but do on the way out, or via a donation box.

 

Wasn't quite like that last time I was in the Science museum in Kensington I'm afraid.

[Sir Hadyn]

Wasn't quite like that last time I was in the Science museum in Kensington I'm afraid.

Fair enough but you didn't specify South Kensington

[Dava]

I've visited the NRM since it opened in 1975 [having visited Clapham once] and periodically since.It has grown hugely in area and scope,and adapted to changes in funding, museum policy and visitor expectations very well since then, within the limitations of funding and government diktat.

 

It's support for heritage education and research, for example, don't get much coverage here but are widely valued. It has been able to attract but sadly not always retain top-notch staff. There have been well publicized issues about restoration [eg Scotsman] and removals [eg the T3] but at least the NRM has been fairly transparent about these.

 

Recent interviews in Steam Railway confirm that there is much more in the collection [eg at Wroughton] than is on display and we get a flavor of this in the stacked exhibition cases at York. There is more to do in creating narratives with selective use of these unique artifacts and research collections. The model collection alone is amazing. It's not just about the locos. I don't think it yet makes the best use of the full area of the York site but there are ambitious future plans for this, I suspect they won't/can't directly restore a steam loco to working order again but there are partners [such as GCR and Rileys] who can do this.

 

Overall the NRM is a world class museum we're fortunate to have. As it's free, don't be mean about making your donation!

 

Dava

[Sir Hadyn]

Let me buy you a cuppa on your next visit. Your avatar suggests we might get on well!

[Luke Piewalker]

Funnily enough I just spent a couple of days doing the York/Shildon double.

York, so much stuff to see, Big sheds, full of trains, lockers so I didn't have to haul my bag around, the odd comfy seat to collapse in (yay), model railway not running, some of the locos were lacking info panels, FS parked outside out of view, no clock on the viewing gallery, not much to see in the south yard (boo)

Shildon, big shed full of trains with trains outside, well stocked model shop, exhibits with simple laminated A4 card attached with information (yay), some exhibits lacking the laminated card, kid's play area next to the aforementioned snowplough related video meant I couldn't hear it (boo).

All things being equal, a good two days!

[MarkC]

I have to say that the NRM - Shildon shuttles were a pretty good idea - I have a nephew who was thrilled to be able to stand in the front vestibule of the front coach (with the droplight down, of course ), immediately behind Olton Hall, travelling from York to Northallerton. What a pity that it wasn't pursued - going out from the NRM South Yard platform was another great idea - very convenient. I think that 2500 was mooted as a likely locomotive to be overhauled for this duty, but then circumstances changed. Perhaps the idea could be revisited in the near future?

[drmditch]

I have a degree of interest here, because I volunteer at Shildon. This summer I've been providing tours around some of the collection. I cover Fridays, and other colleagues do the same on other days. Since the 1895 'Races to the North' reached their climax on the 20th to 23rd August, and currently two of the 'competing' locomotives are standing smokebox to tender at Shildon, I will be providing a special tour/talk on the subject, featuring No.790 Hardwicke, and NER No.1621.

 

So, if you are interested, do come and make yourself known on Monday 21st or Tuesday 22nd, at 11:00am or 14:30pm.

 

Entirely informal and no cost whatsoever!

 

Edited August 20, 2017 by drmditch

[96701]

I generally put money in the donation box but a couple of times I've deliberately not done it in protest at the tactics using emotional blackmail to extort donations. Either the museum is free or it isn't. If it is free then people are under no obligation to make any donation. If they want to insist that people "make a donation" then introduce an entrance charge but don't tell the world it's free and then fill the entrance hall with chuggers and send people on a guilt trip. I just object to that on principle, put the collection boxes out and have a poster suggesting that people make a donation by each box and leave it at that.

Well it isn't a church. Some of them charge up front. Go figure.

Prices

York Minster is open daily, from 9.00am to 5.00pm, although access may be restricted if services are taking place. 

 

Admission prices are £10 for adults, £9 for concessions and free for accompanying children. The ticket includes a free guided tour, entry into The Orb and Revealing York Minster attraction, and unlimited return visits for 12 months. 

 

Tower Tours cost just £5.00 per person.

 

There are a range of ticket options to suit every visitor. Plus, our voluntary guides are a wealth of knowledge and bring York Minster to life. Take a tour to learn more - for free!

 

Adult admission starts from just £10 and children can visit the Minster for free with an adult!

[jjb1970]

 

Well it isn't a church. Some of them charge up front. Go figure.

Prices

York Minster is open daily, from 9.00am to 5.00pm, although access may be restricted if services are taking place. 

 

Admission prices are £10 for adults, £9 for concessions and free for accompanying children. The ticket includes a free guided tour, entry into The Orb and Revealing York Minster attraction, and unlimited return visits for 12 months. 

 

Tower Tours cost just £5.00 per person.

 

There are a range of ticket options to suit every visitor. Plus, our voluntary guides are a wealth of knowledge and bring York Minster to life. Take a tour to learn more - for free!

 

Adult admission starts from just £10 and children can visit the Minster for free with an adult!

 

 

I have no issue with paying an admission fee to enter a museum or attraction. If I visited a cathedral to worship then I'd be a bit miffed if I was asked to pay, but if I visit as a sightseer then why not? Somebody has to pay for these attractions and we keep being told that government funding is inadequate.

[96701]

I have no issue with paying an admission fee to enter a museum or attraction. If I visited a cathedral to worship then I'd be a bit miffed if I was asked to pay, but if I visit as a sightseer then why not? Somebody has to pay for these attractions and we keep being told that government funding is inadequate.

Indeed. I agree. It's just that I find it a bit odd that  place of worship charges but a place that displays locos, trains and railwayana doesn't.

[Sir Hadyn]

http://www.museumsassociation.org/campaigns/free-admission-and-the-lottery

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

... If I visited a cathedral to worship then I'd be a bit miffed if I was asked to pay...

You won't be, and what's more you get to see and hear the performers all got up in their fancy costumes do the accreted stuff of several thousand years of tradition thrown in free as well. Choose the right moment and you might see a primate in full display plumage. There's even visitor participation on offer for those so inclined. So the choice is to pay for entry to a big building generically like many others which can be visited at no charge, or walk in for free and actively experience aspects of what it was built for. How weird is all that?

 

Indeed. I agree. It's just that I find it a bit odd that  place of worship charges but a place that displays locos, trains and railwayana doesn't.

It's more than a little odd, in that the railway was constructed with the intent of charging people to use it, and this didn't change even when it was public ownership. But the museum system falls under public policy, which is ultimately under the influence of an electorate and the machinery of government: than which there is nothing weirder yet on this planet.

[drmditch]

I have a degree of interest here, because I volunteer at Shildon. This summer I've been providing tours around some of the collection. I cover Fridays, and other colleagues do the same on other days. Since the 1895 'Races to the North' reached their climax on the 20th to 23rd August, and currently two of the 'competing' locomotives are standing smokebox to tender at Shildon, I will be providing a special tour/talk on the subject, featuring No.790 Hardwicke, and NER No.1621.

 

So, if you are interested, do come and make yourself known on Monday 21st or Tuesday 22nd, at 11:00am or 14:30pm.

 

Entirely informal and no cost whatsoever!

 

RTN_Poster.jpg

 

Well, that seemed to go quite well. Not huge numbers, but nice interested groups. 

Next year, we'll do a bit more - for the 123rd anniversary.

 

It's a shame that there won't be a significant anniversary soon - but by the 150th I'll be 93!

[PhilH]

Let me buy you a cuppa on your next visit. Your avatar suggests we might get on well!

Completely ot, sorry, but I used to drive one of those things, Sir Vincent, at Hollycombe.

[Sir Hadyn]

Great, my Grandad used to drive "Blue Circle" for a living at Holborough cement works. I was pleased to see Sir Vincent at his current home last June and we have uncovered at least a dozen unseen photos of the things at work in the last month.

[jjb1970]

We visited the NRM last week on our way up North for a break and was pretty impressed. The two exhibition halls were both well presented and very attractive. The exhibits were clean and looked well cared for. The information for the exhibits seemed to strike a good balance between being comprehensible for a person with no knowledge of the subject and offering something for rail enthusiasts.

Negatives? Not many really. Somebody at Hornby really should wake up to the lost marketing opportunity that is the non-working model layou in the entrance area. You can't see the stuff below platform level in the second hall on many of the exhibits. The museum does seem to be quite heavily focused on the trains rather than the story of railways but I suspect that this is what most visitors want.

Overall it is an excellent museum.