Inside the National Football Museum
Wed 17th April 2019 | General | By Stewart Taylor
We have heard recently in another context that many museums which focus on art have large numbers of items in store which rarely, if ever, get put out on display.
This is common to just about all museums and the National Football Museum is no exception to this rule.
The number of items on display at any one time numbers well in excess of 2000, but there are many times that number in store. This affords the opportunity to change the exhibits on a regular basis to refresh the displays.
The challenge then becomes how to lay out and theme the on-display items to make a coherent story. This can be done simply along historical lines in date order, but that would miss the opportunity to explore football in a cohesive way involving all participants in the game.
As such, we find threads throughout the museum which demonstrate the inclusivity of the game.
We could be here for a very long time if I tried to talk about the exhibits within the museum, so I’ll just pick out one highlight from each level.
The ground floor entrance level – the Pitch Gallery – features an opportunity to take photographs of the museum's Premier League and FA Cup trophies.
The cups may be held by visitors, but wearing the provided gloves is a must and the trophies cannot be lifted from their positions. Photographs taken here are very popular and provide a reminder of the visit. Many such photographs are shared widely on social media.
On the first floor we find the Match Gallery, which really provides the detail of the history of the game. There are many, many memorable exhibits, including the famous Maradona “Hand of God” shirt, but the first thing you see at the top of the escalator is what is known as the handling table.
This table is manned by volunteers during the middle part of the day and gives the visitor the opportunity to handle old boots, footballs, playing shirts and memorabilia, and compare them with modern day equivalents – quite a contrast!
Go up a level and we find the Play Gallery. In this section we find the ever popular Penalty Shootout game along with many other interactive features: ideal for the younger visitor or even the young at heart.
The top level is known as the Score Gallery and is home to changing exhibitions. Opening in this space on April 5th is a new exhibition entitled “Football is Art”.
Footballers have often been described as artists on the pitch, but what happens when the game is depicted as art? Can art in all its forms truly capture the emotions of a match?
This exhibition shows how artists from Paul Nash to David Hockney have depicted the beauty, drama and passion of football and invites you to create your own 3D artworks using Google Tilt Brush.
In short, we can confidently say that the museum provides a great resource for all interested in the history of the game and the role the game has in current society.
Next week, in the final article in the series, we take a look at the role of volunteers at the museum.
One of the most popular exhibits in the museum is shown below - George Best's mini.
Inside the National Football Museum
Wed 17th April 2019 | General
By Stewart Taylor
We have heard recently in another context that many museums which focus on art have large numbers of items in store which rarely, if ever, get put out on display.
This is common to just about all museums and the National Football Museum is no exception to this rule.
The number of items on display at any one time numbers well in excess of 2000, but there are many times that number in store. This affords the opportunity to change the exhibits on a regular basis to refresh the displays.
The challenge then becomes how to lay out and theme the on-display items to make a coherent story. This can be done simply along historical lines in date order, but that would miss the opportunity to explore football in a cohesive way involving all participants in the game.
As such, we find threads throughout the museum which demonstrate the inclusivity of the game.
We could be here for a very long time if I tried to talk about the exhibits within the museum, so I’ll just pick out one highlight from each level.
The ground floor entrance level – the Pitch Gallery – features an opportunity to take photographs of the museum's Premier League and FA Cup trophies.
The cups may be held by visitors, but wearing the provided gloves is a must and the trophies cannot be lifted from their positions. Photographs taken here are very popular and provide a reminder of the visit. Many such photographs are shared widely on social media.
On the first floor we find the Match Gallery, which really provides the detail of the history of the game. There are many, many memorable exhibits, including the famous Maradona “Hand of God” shirt, but the first thing you see at the top of the escalator is what is known as the handling table.
This table is manned by volunteers during the middle part of the day and gives the visitor the opportunity to handle old boots, footballs, playing shirts and memorabilia, and compare them with modern day equivalents – quite a contrast!
Go up a level and we find the Play Gallery. In this section we find the ever popular Penalty Shootout game along with many other interactive features: ideal for the younger visitor or even the young at heart.
The top level is known as the Score Gallery and is home to changing exhibitions. Opening in this space on April 5th is a new exhibition entitled “Football is Art”.
Footballers have often been described as artists on the pitch, but what happens when the game is depicted as art? Can art in all its forms truly capture the emotions of a match?
This exhibition shows how artists from Paul Nash to David Hockney have depicted the beauty, drama and passion of football and invites you to create your own 3D artworks using Google Tilt Brush.
In short, we can confidently say that the museum provides a great resource for all interested in the history of the game and the role the game has in current society.
Next week, in the final article in the series, we take a look at the role of volunteers at the museum.
One of the most popular exhibits in the museum is shown below - George Best's mini.
