Current Archaeology’s June Listings: exhibitions, events, and heritage from home

This article is from Current Archaeology issue 412

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FESTIVAL

Malton Museum Roman Festival 

Orchard Field, Malton, 21 July, http://www.maltonmuseum.co.uk/roman-festival-2024

Malton Museum’s third Roman Festival will take place this July, celebrating life in Roman Delgovicia with an action-packed day full of fun for the whole family. The festival will feature live action demonstrations from military re-enactment groups, children’s crafts and activities, displays from Roman interest groups in the region, talks by visiting authors, and more. Tickets cost £20 for a family, £10 for adults, and £5 for 14- to 18-year-olds. The event is part of the recently reopened museum’s summer events series, which also includes their 2024 exhibition A Sense of Place and a programme of summer lectures.

EVENT

Using Archaeology for Recovery 

Bournemouth University, 5 July, http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/using-archaeology-for-recovery-tickets-869059138277  

This one-day seminar will explore how archaeology is helping those who have suffered trauma, especially those in the military who have faced conflict. The day-school will use Operation Nightingale projects and other case studies to discuss the benefits as well as the difficulties of running such projects, and will include an important contribution by Ukrainian archaeologists about the work they are doing with veterans in Kyiv. Tickets for the full day (including lunch and refreshments) cost £65 and must be booked in advance.

MUSEUM 

Marlipins Museum 

Marlipins Museum, Shoreham-by-Sea, Until 2 November, http://www.sussexpast.co.uk/attraction/marlipins-museum 

Marlipins Museum in Sussex has just reopened to the public, 11am-3pm Thursday to Saturday, until 2 November. The new season is marked by two exhibitions: Shoreham Fort, incorporating Shoreham’s Role in D-Day, researched and curated by the Friends of Shoreham Fort, is running until 27 July, while Shoreham Beach, presented by the Friends of Shoreham Beach Local Nature Reserve, which will examine the wide diversity of the plants and wildlife found on Shoreham Beach, runs from 1 August to 2 November. Entry both to Marlipins Museum and to the exhibitions is free.

EXHIBITION

• Michelangelo: The last decades

British Museum , Until 28 July, http://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/michelangelo-last-decades

The British Museum’s new exhibition looks at the last 30 years of Michelangelo’s remarkable life, when his return to Rome brought him new commissions and reunited him with some of his closest friends. Several of Michelangelo’s most striking works from this period are displayed, alongside studies for grand architectural projects, as well as drawings, poems, and intimate letters that reveal his personal passions and anxieties. Adult tickets start at £18; members and under-16s go free.

• The Blenheim Story

Blenheim Palace, Permanent, http://www.blenheimpalace.com/visitus/the-blenheim-story

Blenheim Palace has unveiled a new, permanent exhibition, which will shine a light on the 300-year history of the Baroque building. Visitors begin their experience of the Palace in this introductory space, where they will learn about why it was built, and discover the stories and personalities of the key people who influenced the construction of Blenheim Palace and who lived here over the years. Entry is included within a Blenheim Palace ticket, including an Annual Pass or Privilege Pass.

HERITAGE FROM HOME

VIRTUAL VISITS

• Banco de la República, Colombia 

https://colecciones.banrepcultural.org

Discover the archaeological and artistic collections of the network of museums of the Banco de la República de Colombia, including the Museum of Gold and the Collection of Musical Instruments. 

• Cliffe Castle Museum, UK

http://www.bradfordmuseums.org/virtual-tour

Explore the collections of this local heritage museum in West Yorkshire and the grand, Victorian, neo Gothic castle in which it is housed. 

• Château de Pau, France

http://www.zooomez.fr/MC/musee-chateau-pau

Take a virtual tour of the Château de Pau and find out about the castle’s history, which dates back to the 11th century, as well as the rich collections of drawings, paintings, and sculpture that it houses. 

• Amarbayasgalant Monastery, Mongolia

https://tapestry.cyark.org/content/amarbayasgalant

Find out more about this Buddhist monastery complex, located in northern Mongolia, and its history with a virtual tour and audio guide around the site.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

• Digital Coin Cabinet

http://www.ikmk.net

Explore thousands of ancient and historical coins through this web portal that brings together numismatic collections from museums and institutions across Europe. 

• Archaeological Dating

https://artsandculture.google.com/story/QgXxkC7JMuo56w

Find out more about the different techniques used by researchers and archaeologists to date the past, and the science behind them, with this accessible resource from Google Arts & Culture. 

• Being Roman with Mary Beard

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0gq54cg 

Mary Beard returns for a second series of Being Roman on BBC Radio 4, exploring the lives of six more Roman citizens. First up is the savvy operator who cleaned up after Boudica’s revolt.

• Natural History Museum YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/@NaturalHistoryMuseum

Find out more about the 80 million natural history specimens in the collections of the NHM London, and go behind the scenes to learn about the work of museum curators and scientists. 

FAMILY FUN  

• Ancient Egyptian Maths Resources

http://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/resources/ancient-egyptian-maths-resources

Explore both maths and ancient Egypt with these worksheets from National Museums Scotland: learn how to count like an ancient Egyptian, find out how the pyramids were built, and more. 

• Archaeology for Kids

http://www.heritage.org.nz/news/stories/archaeology-for-kids

Introduce children to a variety of archaeology activities with this extensive resource kit from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, which explores what archaeologists really do and the skills they use.

• Secrets of the Neanderthals

http://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81513913 

Find out more about the mysteries surrounding the Neanderthals with this new Netflix documentary that explores what the fossil record tells us about their lives and disappearance. 

• Pompeii: The New Dig 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001yczv  

Follow archaeologists at Pompeii as they conduct the most extensive archaeological excavation to be carried out in the ancient city for a generation, and find out about the latest discoveries. 

Go digging!
With the summer digging season rapidly approaching, we would love to hear from projects that are offering opportunities to the public over the coming months. Click here for some upcoming excavations – if you would like to highlight yours to our readers, please get in touch at cp@currentpublishing.com.