Museum blog

Diaries written by English prisoners of war captured during the Napoleonic Wars frequently mention their clothing. Whilst the importance of appropriate clothing to the comfort and care of prisoners is obvious, prisoners frequently used clothing for their benefit in other, more creative, ways.

While practitioner in residence at Royal Museums Greenwich during 2016-2017, Paddy Hartley created new artwork in response to the histories of ex-servicemen in and around the National Maritime Museum, with the help of curators, archivists, conservators and the visiting public. In this blog post written during his residency, he reveals how the stories of two World War I servicemen inspired his work.

Malta, rich in history, is visited by millions of tourists every year, myself included. Famous for its home of the Knights of Saint John, records of Malta’s history can be found as far back as the Neolithic period. No matter where you turn on the island you run into a historical building. One such building often mentioned in the manuscripts is Fort St Angelo. 

The rare book collection at the Caird Library holds numerous delights. One of our readers requested this book and it particularly caught my eye as it is written by an officer who began service in the Royal Navy as a young lad in the 1800s. 

Lured by the promise of pink sandy beaches and turquoise-blue seas, millions of tourists visit Bermuda every year. Collaborative Doctoral Student Anna McKay examines the difficulties faced by officials in acquiring labourers to work on the site during the nineteenth century.

Having skippered her first Trans-Atlantic race at just 20, Nikki Henderson is one of the UK's leading young sailors. In 2018, Nikki became the youngest ever skipper of a round the world race at the age of 25

I couldn't wait to explore the ship model collection as part of my Museum Fellowship.