PK Porthcurno

Finally Open!

It is a beautiful, sunny day in Porthcurno and we have at long last opened our doors again to the public.

There has been a great deal of planning and hard work from all at the museum to reach this date. The display collection is looking fantastic, and with the new activities and interpretation we are eager to see what the visiting public make of our new museum.

It’s been a long haul for the Collections Team as it has been for the rest of the museum staff. When I joined in November 2012, I helped in the huge task of checking, sorting and cataloguing the Museum’s vast archive of documents, volumes and photographs. Based in Eastern House at the time, the search room was half the size and ten times as cold. By May 2013 we were ready to move and the month was dedicated to boxing, transporting and unpacking 595 meters of volumes, documents, objects, and pictures. The new archive store and search room have given us the perfect conditions to house and provide access to our treasured collection.

Building Site - Here is a look back at the Clore Learning Space and the new home of the Archive and Searchroom
Building site. Here is a look back at the Clore Learning Space and the new home of the archive and search room
May 2013 - Staff and volunteers lend a hand to fill crates full of Archive material
May 2013. Staff and volunteers lend a hand to fill crates full of archive material
Empty Archive - Awaiting the builders who would transform the old Archive into a new Archive Store and staff offices
Empty archive. Awaiting the builders who would transform the old Archive into a new archive store and staff offices.

A year later and we were still finishing the mammoth task of updating the location information for the thousands of archive items we moved. Before long we were moving the stored object collection from two museum stores into what was the old archive store in Eastern House. Again the improved storage conditions have helped us to maintain and minimise further damage done by the fluctuation of temperatures and naturally high humidity. Again a painstaking process as we moved delicate technical apparatus and large heavy objects through the museum. Many hands were needed to move the numerous gigantic cable ship models.

New Object Store - Here is Rudi transferring the Stored Object Collection to it's new home in Eastern House
New Object Store – Here is Rudy transferring the stored object collection to it’s new home in Eastern House
Tunnels Display Cases part 1 - Here is Tye carefully packing away items to transfer to the Object Store
Tunnels Display Cases part 1 – Here is Tye carefully packing away items to transfer to the Object Store

As we approached completion of the relocation of the Archive and Stored Object Collections we were quickly full steam ahead with preparing the Display Collection. We have been carefully moving objects into the display cases in the Tunnels and the new electronically monitored cases in the Eastern House Gallery.

ID Tags - These Tyveck labels have been marked so we know which display items will continue to be displayed, and which ones are going away to the Object Store
ID Tags – These Tyveck labels have been marked so we know which display items will continue to be displayed, and which ones are going away to the Object Store
Cleaning Objects - Here Charlotte is carefully cleaning one of the objects with a brush and hoover. This safely removes surface dust without damaging the surface of the object.
Cleaning Objects – Here Charlotte is carefully cleaning one of the objects with a brush and hoover. This safely removes surface dust without damaging the surface of the object.
Tunnels Display Cases part 2 - And here is Charlotte carefully placing a cable sample back on display in the Tunnels
Tunnels Display Cases part 2 – And here is Charlotte carefully placing a cable sample back on display in the Tunnels
Display Cases - It takes a lot of organisation to get the display cases ready and we have relied on Malcolm and his Team to assist with heavy work and hanging display boards and paintings
Display Cases – It takes a lot of organisation to get the display cases ready and we have relied on Malcolm and his Team to assist with heavy work and hanging display boards and paintings
Interpretation - Ros has spent months preparing and organising the text panels to accompany our Display Collection
Interpretation – Ros has spent months preparing and organising the text panels to accompany our Display Collection
Achieving Perfection - Here Charlotte and Ros are finely adjusting the large technical display case in Eastern House
Achieving Perfection – Here Charlotte and Ros are finely adjusting the large technical display case in Eastern House
Achieving Perfection - Getting the right conditions to display our Object Collection is just as important as how they look to the public
Achieving Perfection – Getting the right conditions to display our Object Collection is just as important as how they look to the public

I have been so lucky to work with such a fantastic and professional Team, and much praise is due to the management and leadership skills of Collections Manager Charlotte Dando. Both staff and volunteers are all grateful to work for such an enthusiastic and passionate member of staff, who has been an essential part of the success of the project.

I hope you enjoy looking at this post with photographs from the beginning of the relocation of the Museum’s Archive and Object Collection though to the redisplay of the new public galleries.

Finally... A final look at one of our completed displays. Years in the making, and very satisfying to look at.
Finally… A final look at one of our completed displays. Years in the making, and very satisfying to look at.
Finally Open!
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