National Museums Liverpool Research Articles

Mapping COVID‐19 at home

AbstractHand‐drawn maps are an effective method for collecting information around sense of place. In this project, we have used a hand‐drawn mapping methodology as a tool for supporting children and young people in navigating and articulating their experiences of COVID‐19 at home. The nationwide exercise was conducted in partnership with the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers and National Museums Liverpool, and was part of the larger AHRC‐funded ‘Stayhome Stories’ project. The mapping initiative provided a platform for children and young people to visually convey their encounters with the pandemic and provides a lens through which to view how they understood and renegotiated meanings of home through the repeated lockdowns.

Mammals and birds collected near Mount Kinabalu, Borneo, 1887–1888, now in World Museum, National Museums Liverpool

Mammals and birds collected near Mount Kinabalu, Borneo, 1887–1888, now in World Museum, National Museums Liverpool

Henry Gustave Hiller (1864–1946): British stained glass artist, naturalist and illustrator

Henry Gustave Hiller was born in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, England, in 1864. He worked in Liverpool as a stained glass artist, but was also a keen microscopist and an amateur entomologist and arachnologist, with a particular interest in the life histories of spiders. He was an active member of Liverpool’s natural history societies in his leisure time where he combined his passion for natural history with his artistic talent. His arachnology and entomological illustrations of Argyroneta aquatica, Chironomidae and Culicidae are part of the zoology collections of National Museums Liverpool’s World Museum. In retirement, he lived at Rhosneigr, Anglesey, Wales, where he studied and illustrated the reproductive structures of marine algae. The watercolour sketches of the British marine algae he prepared are preserved in the collections of National Museums Liverpool’s World Museum herbarium (LIV) along with the dried specimens of seaweeds that he collected.

Twentieth-century private collecting

Abstract Dr Philip Nelson, who died in 1953, was an antiquary and collector who lived in Liverpool. One of the highlights of the collections of classical sculpture in the World Museum, part of National Museums Liverpool, is a group of statuettes and busts acquired by Nelson from the 12th Lord Kinnaird and formerly housed in Rossie Priory, near Perth in Scotland. Although Nelson bought only two sculptures from the first auction of sculptures from the Rossie Priory collection, held at Sotheby’s in London in December 1948, it is apparent that he acquired several others, either directly from Lord Kinnaird or through dealers. Details of this process can be found in the archives of the World Museum and the Walker Art Gallery, also part of National Museums Liverpool, including hitherto unpublished letters, notebooks and invoices, reproduced here in an online appendix. The correspondence provides an insight into the formation of a private collection of ancient sculpture in the first half of the twentieth century, a period often overlooked in collecting scholarship.

Typification of Berberis lycium and Berberis kunawurensis

Two species of Berberis (B. lycium, B. kunawurensis) (Berberidaceae) from India, housed in the Roylean Herbarium at World Museum, National Museums Liverpool (LIV), are lectotypified. The location of the type of B. kunawarensis is published for the first time and its description is expanded.

Colonial birding in the Thai-Malay Peninsula: Birds from the Selangor Museum now in World Museum, Liverpool

In the early 1900s the zoological staff of the Selangor Museum regularly collected birds in mountainous parts of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, giving hill stations a prominent role in Malaysian ornithology. H. C. Robinson published a synopsis of the Selangor Museum's collections of mountain birds in 1909, drawing connections to the work of other prominent European and American bird collectors. The Selangor Museum made a large donation of specimens to the Liverpool Museums in 1914, and several of these mountain birds are now in the World Museum, National Museums Liverpool. An examination of the provenance of these specimens reveals the synergy between the growth of bird collections from the peninsula, the transition to bird 'watching', and the development of some of these hill stations into enduringly popular resorts.

Building Shared Guardianship through Blockchain Technology and Digital Museum Objects

This article considers the notion of shared guardianship in the context of digital museum objects and blockchain technology, arguing that this technology can contribute to the production of value in digital museum objects that goes beyond the monetary. Shared guardianship is understood to be a process of prioritizing the experience of others and forming a diverse set of stakeholders that transforms understandings around ownership; meanwhile, a blockchain is a type of distributed ledger technology which can be used to identify digital files and so make them feel ownable and authentic. As such, this paper argues that blockchain technology could create a new layer of materiality and value in digital museum objects which could support the formation of shared guardianship. This question will be analysed in relation to the theoretical underpinnings of digital materiality and a case study project at the National Museums Liverpool, UK, which investigated how to implement blockchain technology in the museum context in order to produce collective ownership and meaningful, connected digital objects.

Birds from Sumatra given by Sir Stamford Raffles to Lord Stanley: links to names, types and drawings

After escaping from the burning East Indiaman Fame, but losing all of his possessions, Sir Stamford Raffles, the Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen, hastily re-collected as many natural history specimens and drawings as he could before leaving Sumatra in April 1824. On his return to England Raffles was elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society and, with Lord Edward Smith Stanley and others, founded the Zoological Society of London. In 1825 Raffles gave 21 Sumatran birds to Stanley. Upon his death in 1851, Stanley (then 13th Earl of Derby) bequeathed his collection to the people of Liverpool, founding what is now the World Museum, National Museums Liverpool. Here I record these birds, 11 of which are still extant in the collection, including links to: the names and types from Raffles' (1822) ‘descriptive catalogue' of a zoological collection from Sumatra; Raffles' post-Fame zoological drawings; and Nicholas Aylward Vigors' catalogue of Raffles' specimens in the Zoological Society Museum, published in Lady Sophia Raffles’ memoir in 1830.

Origins, identification and type status of two early specimens of Society Kingfisher Todiramphus veneratus (J. F. Gmelin, 1788) (Aves: Coraciiformes, Alcedinidae).

We re-examined the putative type specimen of Society Kingfisher Todiramphus veneratus (J. F. Gmelin, 1788) in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (NMW 50.633) and conclude based on plumage that it represents the taxon from Moorea, T. veneratus youngi Sharpe, 1892, rather than nominate T. veneratus veneratus from Tahiti. X-rays reveal that it was prepared using techniques common in the late 18th century, and that its preparation style matches that of other specimens collected during Cook's three voyages. NMW 50.633 has been assumed to be the one, or one of a number of, specimen(s) used by Latham to describe and illustrate his 'Venerated Kingfisher' (present-day Society Kingfisher), which was the basis of the later valid introduction of the name Alcedo venerata by J. F. Gmelin. However, whereas the description and an unpublished illustration in Latham's archives agree closely with veneratus from Tahiti, NMW 50.633 appears to represent Moorea youngi. While this finding does not compromise the definition of Society Kingfisher veneratus, it leaves it without a safely identified type specimen. We also examined a Moorea specimen in the National Museums Liverpool (LIVCM D2366) that is almost as old as NMW 50.633, but which X-rays suggest had a different origin than NMW 50.633.

James C.S. Lin and Xiuzhen Li (2018). China’s First Emperor and the Terracotta Warriors.

In February 2018 a new exhibition entitled China’s First Emperor and the Terracotta Warriors opened at the World Museum, in Liverpool. Organised in collaboration with the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau and Shaanxi History Museum, this did not of course represent the first visit of the Terracotta Army to these shores. In terms of public engagement, however, it was undoubtedly a major coup for Liverpool: a small selection of the figures drew some 225,000 visitors to the City Arts Centre in Edinburgh in 1985; whilst the British Museum’s blockbuster 2007-8 exhibition attracted crowds that had not been seen since the ground-breaking Tutankhamun exhibition in 1980. The Liverpool exhibition showcased some 180 items, over half of which had not previously been seen in the UK. Given the range of material on display and the undoubted widespread popular interest in Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army, it is accordingly not surprising that National Museums Liverpool took the decision to produce a new publication to accompany the exhibition

Two Inscribed Middle Kingdom Oyster Shells from Esna: Reconstructing Their Archaeological Context

This paper examines two inscribed Middle Kingdom oyster shells from Esna (IMJ 76.19.198, National Museums Liverpool, World Museum 1977.110.1). The current location of these two oyster shells since ...

A Dress Made from Human Hair: A Reflection on Its Display, Interpretation and Ethics

In 2012 the National Museums Liverpool (NML) acquired a dress made from human hair extensions for its fashion collection. It was made to be worn at the 2011 Alternative Miss Liverpool pageant, organized by Homotopia, the city’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) arts organization. This paper outlines the dress’s purpose as a performative garment and looks at the reasons for its acquisition by NML. The different approaches taken to its display to date are examined, set against the broader background to the display of hair in museums over the past century. Other examples of human hair garments are also considered in relation to the dress. Some of these were made as fashion garments, some as artworks or, like NML’s dress, for performance. All of them have provoked a variety of reactions in viewers, conditioned by the different contexts in which they have been viewed. The ethical issues related to the sourcing and the display of human hair in museum settings are also considered, together with a proposed approach for the future display of NML’s dress.

Protecting Museum Collections from Vibrations Due to Construction: Vibration Statistics, Limits, Flexibility and Cooperation

ABSTRACT Vibrations due to heavy construction work continue to be a major concern for museums. Although there has been an increase in research on the effect of vibrations on objects of cultural heritage in recent years, selecting measures to protect collections and remain open during construction work continues to be difficult because of a lack of data on what objects can actually withstand, the complexity of vibration loads, and the uniqueness of each situation. The major renovation of the Central Library in Liverpool, UK, which shared walls with the World Museum and Walker Art Gallery, both of which belong within National Museums Liverpool, showed how museums and other institutions can successfully deal with such situations. An integral approach was taken, beginning with an extensive risk analysis to determine which objects could remain on display, which needed extra protection and regular condition monitoring, and which had to be removed. The museums then negotiated a vibration protocol and action plan with the contractors, including continuous monitoring, and trigger levels requiring consultation or work stoppage. Vibration data were also stored and used for later analysis. This integral approach was successful in protecting the collections on exhibition, with only two incidents of reported damage directly related to vibrations. A combination of museum staff experience, excellent communications with the contractors, and some flexibility in defining vibration limits provided a successful recipe for both museums. The analysis of the vibration data using the basic engineering concept of the Palmgren-Miner rule, supports a more flexible approach to setting vibration limits based on recently published guidelines.

Characterising online museum users: a study of the National Museums Liverpool museum website

Museums are increasing access to their collections and providing richer user experiences via web-based interfaces. However, they are seeing high numbers of users looking at only one or two pages within 10 s and then leaving. To reduce this rate, a better understanding of the type of user who visits a museum website is required. Existing models for museum website users tend to focus on groups that are readily accessible for study or provide little detail in their definitions of the groups. This paper presents the results of a large-scale user survey for the National Museums Liverpool museum website in which data on a wide range of user characteristics were collected regarding their current visit to provide a better understanding of their motivations, tasks, engagement and domain knowledge. Results show that the frequently understudied general public and non-professional users make up the majority (approximately 77%) of the respondents.

Exhibition: David Hockney and the BJGP.

David Hockney Tate Britain London , 9 February 2017–29 May 2017 One of the nice things about going to a David Hockney exhibition is that almost everyone comes out smiling. This was certainly true at the recent Tate Britain retrospective David Hockney: 60 years work which brought together, in a compact show in only 12 rooms, key pictures from the 1960s to the present. Rather like a visit to the Frick Collection in New York, a Hockney exhibition contains almost nothing ugly, visceral or alarming, although it raises plenty of questions. I am hopeful that a visit to the Life &Times section of the BJGP also puts a smile on some of our readers’ faces, and makes you ask some questions. I trust that you will not think it too fanciful if I draw some parallels between Hockney’s career and the development of the Journal, and of general practice more broadly. Peter Getting Out of Nick’s Pool acrylic paint on canvas by David Hockney, 1966. Photograph by Richard Schmidt. Copyright David Hockney, National Museums Liverpool, Walker Art Gallery. Hockney is 80 this year, despite being a dedicated smoker, and began his …

Let's explore…: colour

Children are being inspired by National Museums Liverpool's Eye for Colour show. By Marianne Sargent

Case 3658 Calyptorhynchus baudinii Lear, 1832 (Aves, cacatuida): proposed conservation of usage by designation of a neotype

The purpose of this application, under Article 75.6 of the Code, is to conserve prevailing usage of the species names Calyptorhynchus baudinii Lear, 1832 and Calyptorhynchus latirostris Carnaby, 1948, long established for two endemic cockatoos in southwestern Australia (Lear, 1832). The whereabouts of the holotype of C. baudinii Lear, 1832 (Baudin's Cockatoo) was previously unknown and the identity of Lear's (1832) figure was established by Saunders (1974). The holotype has been located at the National Museums Liverpool in December 2010 and found to be conspecific with C. latirostris Carnaby, 1948 (Carnaby's Cockatoo). The resulting nomenclatural shift would destabilise the long established usage of these names and confound past and future references to the names in the literature. To conserve the long established use of baudinii Lear for the distinct long-billed, Baudin's Cockatoo, and to maintain latirostris Carnaby as the valid name for Carnaby's Cockatoo we propose that the type of baudinii Lear, be set aside and replaced with a neotype of a specimen of Baudin's Cockatoo.

Merseyside memory resource launched by Angela Rippon

British Journal of Healthcare AssistantsVol. 8, No. 4 Health MattersMerseyside memory resource launched by Angela RipponPeter BradleyPeter BradleySearch for more papers by this authorPeter BradleyPublished Online:15 Apr 2014https://doi.org/10.12968/bjha.2014.8.4.206AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail View article FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails 1 April 2014Volume 8Issue 4ISSN (print): 1753-1586ISSN (online): 2052-4420 Metrics History Published online 15 April 2014 Published in print 1 April 2014 Information© MA Healthcare LimitedPDF download

Cheating death twice: surviving the Blitz and a brain haemorrhage

Jim's experiences: The first time I should have died I was 17. It was 20 December 1940, and the ‘Christmas Blitz’ on Liverpool had entered its second night. My family's...

3D Cultural Heritage Online; In Search of a User Friendly Interactive Viewer

Three dimensional (3D) laser scanning is an important documentation technique for cultural heritage. This technology has been adopted from the engineering and aeronautical industry and is an invaluable tool for the documentation of objects within museum collections [1]. The datasets created via close range laser scanning are extremely accurate and the created 3D dataset allows for a more detailed analysis in comparison to other documentation technologies, such as photography. The dataset can be used for a range of different applications including: documentation; archiving; surface monitoring; replication; gallery interactives; educational sessions; conservation and visualization. However, the novel nature of a 3D dataset is presenting a rather unique challenge with respect to its sharing and dissemination. This is in part due to the need for specialised 3D software and a supported graphics card to display high resolution 3D models. This can be detrimental to one of the main goals of cultural institutions, which is to share knowledge and enable activities such as research, education and entertainment. This has limited the presentation of 3D models of cultural heritage objects to mainly either images or videos. Yet with recent developments in computer graphics, increased internet speed and emerging technologies such as Adobe's Stage 3D [2] and WebGL [3] it is now possible to share a dataset directly within a webpage. This allows website visitors to interact with the 3D dataset enabling them to explore every angle of the object, gaining an insight into its shape and nature. This can be very important considering that it is difficult to offer the same level of understanding of the object through the use of traditional mediums such as photographs and videos. Yet this presents a range of problems: this is a very novel experience and very few people have engaged with 3D objects outside of 3D software packages or games. This paper presents results of research that aims to provide a methodology for museums and cultural institutions for prototyping a 3D viewer within a webpage, thereby not only allowing institutions to promote their collections via the internet but also providing a tool for users to engage in a meaningful way with cultural heritage datasets. The design process encompasses evaluation as the central part of the design methodology; focusing on how slight changes to navigation, object engagement and aesthetic appearance can influence the user's experience. The prototype used in this paper, was created using WebGL with the Three. Js [4] library and datasets were loaded as the OpenCTM [5] file format. The overall design is centred on creating an easy-to-learn interface allowing non-skilled users to interact with the datasets, and also providing tools allowing skilled users to discover more about the cultural heritage object. User testing was carried out, allowing users to interact with 3D datasets within the interactive viewer. The results are analysed and the insights learned are discussed in relation to an interface designed to interact with 3D content. The results will lead to the design of interfaces for interacting with 3D objects, which allow for both skilled and non-skilled users to engage with 3D cultural heritage objects in a meaningful way. An implementation of the viewer documented within this paper is now live on the National Museums Liverpool website [6].