Museum set for grand opening
WITH just days to go before the new museum opens its door at The Atkinson, the Visiter has been for a sneak peek around the arts centre’s newest exhibit.
Friday, February 13 will see the launch of the final part of the museum – a new permanent exhibition called Between Land and Sea – 10,000 years of Sefton’s Coast, which explores the rich and varied history of Sefton and its amazing coastline.
Museum and gallery manager Stephen Whittle showed us around this week so we can fill you in on some of the amazing treasures which have “been in boxes for a generation or two.”
Beginning in Sefton’s early years with the cast of the Formby footprints – showing the path of a mother and child from the Neolithic or New Stone Age – the exhibition then moves on to the find from an excavation in Lunt Meadows.
Stephen said: “There has never been anything like it found in recorded history. They found patterned big chunks of fool’s gold with pebbles arranged geometrically either side of it – it made this beautiful pattern on the base of a hut.
“It could be to do with design or to do with ritual, with symbolic religious meaning to it – it is completely unique.
“It probably dates to around 6,000BC, long before Stonehenge and the pyramids, it is the earliest artwork in the country, and we will premiere it – you won’t find it anywhere else.”
The museum also looks at the birth of tourism and Southport as a town, including a picture of the first building in the resort called Dukes Folly and some of the earliest depictions of Lord Street.
Some of the other attractions also pay homage to other part’s of Sefton’s rich history such as the Grand National; golf; and individuals such as the young polar explorer FJ Hooper; Frank Hampson who drew the cartoon Dan Dare; and Frank Hornby, inventor of Mecanno, Dinky Toys and Hornby Train Models.
The tragedy of the lifeboat Eliza Fernley, which capsized trying to help The Mexico also features – with original oars, life-rings and cork lifejackets from the disaster on display.
And an interactive screen shows the devastation of the blitz of Bootle in 1941 during WWII, which saw more than 90% of the town’s houses destroyed or damaged. As well much, much more explore.
Stephen said: “Everything is changeable so as other stories come to light we can add those in and it can evolve.
“The main thing is that whatever your interests are there is going to be something here that you will be fascinated by, or interested in.”
The new museum launches on Friday, February 13 at The Atkinson. as to