Never minds the pact, give the dinosaurs a vote this May
The Ulster Museum needs your support to become the first local institution to lift the prestigious Art Fund Prize.
This is the most prestigious award in these islands. It has never been won by a NI museum/gallery but the experts believe this is the best chance we’ll have for many years to win it.
The aim at the moment is to get on the shortlist of four which will be announced in mid May. The online poll closes on 7 May.
Whether you are green, orange, red or blue surely you can manage a quick click for Takabuti, the big dinosaur and the Spanish Gold in the Botanic Gardens.
Currently there’s only 2% between the leader and the Ulster Museum.
Get voting folks
Oh and thankfully the one tricky pony that was Sean Scully’s exhibition has gone and the permanent collection has been dusted off and put up.
I thought we were already voting for dinosaurs in the Westminster election !
Well you can vote them out Wabbits
The History Department at the Ulster Museum may have done a shockingly poor job of telling our recent history in the ‘troubles’ section (something they’ll have to fix before too long), but I’ve just given the Museum my vote for all the things they’ve done well in re-imagining the presentation of their other collections.
Only 1.4% off the top position, although ultimately it’s a decision for the judges not a purely popular vote…
We have the choice of a dinosaur in East Derry now. Or is it a ‘political ghost’ as one candidate has alleged?
Only 1.4% in it now, get voting people!
agreed Patrick and having visited the other day with two 7 yr olds we scooted right past that anyways.
The new art room is great and the kids really enjoyed themselves with the staff being very attentive despite being very busy.
I was in the Museum a few weeks ago. At that stage the Art Gallery had been not been re-opened (I believe it was to be opened the week after my visit).
Frankly I was disappointed. As has been mentioned above the History of the Troubles is poor…too anaemic. Splitting the difference rather than actually telling a story.
Of course even without my vote, the Museum will be shortlisted.
Our so called museums……Tower Museum in Derry, Ulster Folk & Transport Museum, the Ulster-American Folk Park….are all disappointing. Thank God that one in Gortin closed its doors. And of course the whole “Conflict Resolution” Industry at Queens gets involved.
On the bright side there are community groups setting up museums/archives to tell their own story and while they are clearly not “neutral” they should be viewed with suspicion. Nevertheless they are a more potent and accurate assessment than our “official” museums.
Well, FJH,
you are always easily disappointed.
The Ulster Museum is one of the best provincial ones I have ever visited, worldwide.
On the bright side there are community groups setting up museums/archives to tell their own story and while they are clearly not “neutral” they should be viewed with suspicion. Nevertheless they are a more potent and accurate assessment than our “official” museums.
Posted by FitzjamesHorse on Apr 11, 2010 @ 04:03 PM
Agreed but they do and will throw up the odd absolute gem as in Gerry Collins record of the events at Bombay Street……
Have to agree FJH. Not up to much, the Ulster Museum.
Yes I saw Gerry Collins pics last year in St Marys College.
in 1998 the Ulster Museum did a very good 1798 Exhibition.
Unfortunately Museums (indeed the study of History) in divided sicieties are all about not rocking the boat.
UM is in the lead………….
http://www.artfundprize.org.uk/2010/vote/thank-you.php?orderBy=votes