20 Feb 2018
Against the grain: the construction of Tudor panel paintings
What can the back of a painting tell us? Paintings conservator Lucy Odlin sheds some light on the often overlooked underside of Tudor masterpieces.
16 Feb 2018
Saving a colourful past
Cleaning and consolidation of a 19th century mask from Vanuatu, Melanesia
13 Feb 2018
The Curious Journal of a Voyage to Bengal
James Creassy’s journal (Item ID: JOD/304) is over 300 pages long and written in perfectly legible handwriting – a rare find for material from 1777! He does not say why he is travelling to Bengal, but records in detail the entertaining, dramatic and sometimes rather distressing events that take place during the journey.
07 Feb 2018
Alone at sea: Donald Crowhurst and the story of solo yacht racing
The Mercy starring Colin Firth portrays Donald Crowhurst's tragic attempt to sail around the world single-handedly in the first race of its kind. Maritime specialist Jeremy Michell sheds light on the perils of sailing alone, the progress of yacht racing, and the importance of remembering failure.
06 Feb 2018
Voyage of the Dundee whaler ‘Erik’ to the Davis Strait and Baffin Bay, 1876
For February’s item of the month I have chosen JOD/133 a logbook written by T.F. Miller, the gunner on the whaling ship ‘Erik’ which records a voyage undertaken in 1876 from Dundee to the Davis Strait and Baffin Bay between Canada and Greenland.
31 Jan 2018
Queer Histories in the Queen’s House
Royals, courtiers and complex relationships - what can we learn from exploring the lives of those who loved at the Queen's House?
24 Jan 2018
The science behind astrophotography
The Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition received over 3800 entries from around 80 countries in 2017. Astronomer and judge Marek Kukula draws out the scientific and personal stories from five of his favourites.