What's On at RAMM in Exeter
Take a look at What’s On at Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum in the New Year… Whatever the Weather…
Pipe Dreams
5 Jan until 27 March 2016
Finders Keepers? Gallery
Heather’s collection of clay tobacco pipes is from the 16th to 20th centuries and includes examples from England, Scotland, The Netherlands and France.
From bottles of water from collected around the globe to Hello Kitty paraphernalia and from fans to political porcelain, the What Do You Collect? display showcases contemporary collecting and allows local collectors to share their passion.
Whatever the Weather Events
Activities and events accompanying RAMM’s winter exhibition Whatever the Weather (21 Nov to 10 April).
Shifting Shores
Tues 19 Jan, 1 to 2pm, £6 (£4)
Discover the effects of the weather on our southwest coastline and see what our future coastline could look like. Join Phil Dyke, National Trust Coastal and Marine Advisor, for a talk about the management of our coastline.
The concessionary price also applies to National Trust members.
Gallery Tour
28 January, 1 to 2pm, £10 (£8)
As part of Whatever the Weather, RAMM commissioned Susan Collins to create two digital artworks focusing on Devon's coastline. Also featured are Joanna Brown's research and photographs reflecting the impact of extreme weather, in particular flooding; part of her ARKive project. During this gallery tour the artists will discuss their work, accompanied by Martin Thomas, RAMM's creative programmer.
Ranger Walk at Woolacombe
Fri 29 Jan, 11am to 1pm. Free tickets online
Walk along Marine Drive and through the dunes with amazing views across Baggy Point and Lundy with National Trust Head Ranger for North Devon, Jonathon Fairhurst. Find out about National Trust coastal conservation linked to Susan Collins’ digital seascape, Wembury & Woolacombe.
Meet at Woolacombe Tourist Information Centre, The Esplanade, EX34 7DL
The Met Office Revealed
Sat 13 Feb, 11am to 1.30pm, free tickets until Sun 31 Jan.
Met office HQ, Fitzroy Road, Exeter EX1 3PB
A chance to look around the workings of the Met Office Headquarters and get a feel for the breadth of work undertaken by this well-known global organisation.
The Met Office is a secure site: full names, addresses and nationalities of all attendees will be collected for security clearance when booking tickets. All attendees must bring photographic identification (passport, driving licence, student card, bus pass) and comfy shoes are advised.
Meet at the Met Office reception: follow the Open Day signs and use the main car parks. Blue badge holders can use accessible bays both in the visitor’s and staff car parks.
Ranger Walk at Wembury
Fri 19 Feb and Fri 8 Apr, 11am to 1pm. Free tickets online
A walk round the headland to Wembury Point. Take in the views across to the Mewstone with Lorna Sherriff, National Trust Ranger for the South Devon. Find out about the National Trust coastal conservation linked to Susan Collins’ digital seascape, Wembury & Woolacombe.
Remember to bring some binoculars to spot the birds and other wildlife out in the bay.
Meet at Wembury Beach car park, Plymouth, PL9 0HP
Portraying the Weather
Wed 24 Feb, 1pm to 2pm, £6 (£4)
Meet Emma Jones, National Trust, South West Curator, to hear about why objects can have a huge effect on our emotions, where they come from and their connection with the weather. The concessionary price also applies to National Trust members.
Force of Nature: how weather and climate inspire creativity
09 March, 6 to 9pm, £12, (£10)
An evening sharing thoughts and perspectives on the role weather plays in creativity past and present. The discussion will be chaired by Steve Noyes, Operations and Services Director at the Met Office. Panellists include Professor Nick Groom, author of The Seasons - an Elegy for the Passing of the Year, artist Joanna Brown, whose work is included in the exhibition, and Professor Mark Baldwin, Chair of Climate Science at the University of Exeter. Met Office volunteers will be on hand with creative weather and climate experiments, and Exeter College dance students will showcase weather-inspired dance performances. A bar will be available.
The concessionary price also applies to National Trust members.
Weatherability
Saturday 12 March, 10.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30 to 3.30pm
To celebrate Disability Awareness Day, artist James Lake’s cardboard weather map of the United Kingdom will be displayed at RAMM. To create the 6-foot sculpture, James worked with a group of six artists at CEDA, a disability charity based in Exeter. The piece was made as part of Weatherability, CEDA’s project with the Met Office exploring weather and forecasting. The sculpture is interactive with weather symbols which can be changed to illustrate the weather on any given day.
Ranger Walk at Woolacombe
Wed 16 Mar 11am to 1pm. Free tickets online
Walk around the headland at Baggy Point to enjoy the views across to Woolacombe and of Morte Point with Jonathan Fairhurst, National Trust, Head Ranger for North Devon. This walk showcases the National Trust’s coastal conservation linked with Susan Collins’ digital seascape Wembury & Woolacombe.
Meet at Baggy Point car park, Moor Lane, Croyde, Devon EX33 1PA
South West Coastal Landscape: the future?
Wed 23 Mar, 1 to 2pm, £6 (£4)
The Southwest has a dynamic landscape. How does the weather shape it? Alex Raeder, National Trust South West Conservation Manager will talk about how the National Trust and partners aim to make a space for nature and people into the future.
The concessionary price also applies to National Trust members.
Living Each Season
RAMM’s dementia-friendly activities are inspired by the groundbreaking programme at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The museum uses its treasure trove of objects to provoke thoughts and spark conversations, whether it’s touching a 1,600-year-old Roman tile, standing next to a totem pole, taking a long look at a painting of Dartmoor, or making tropical butterflies.
Discounts and subsidies are available.
Dementia-friendly object-handling session: winter
Wednesday 27 January, 10.30am to 12.30pm, £15 (includes visitor plus companion). Book in advance
Those taking part in this session will touch and talk about objects from RAMM’s handling collections related to the seasonal theme, such as a painting of Dartmoor under snow or an intricate quilt, an African blanket or a Roman heating tile to reflect keeping warm and cosy in Winter.
Part of RAMM’s programme of Living Each Season dementia-friendly programme, activities are suitable for people with mild to moderate memory problems, accompanied by a friend, relative or carer. Led by specially trained staff, and designed to be enjoyable for both people with dementia and carers, each visit begins with refreshments and ends with an illustrated information sheet to take home and carry on the conversation. Numbers are limited to ensure the best possible experience, so please book in advance. Limited disabled parking is available. Tickets should be presented at the Garden reception.
Dementia-friendly art-making workshop: winter
25 February, 10:30am to 12:30pm, £15 per couple, first session free, transport costs available. Book in advance
Everyone will have the chance to take part in a hands-on creative activity inspired by museum objects and the theme of Winter. The museum uses its treasure trove of objects to provoke thoughts and spark conversations, whether it's touching a 1,600-year-old Roman tile, standing next to a totem pole, taking a long look at a painting of Dartmoor, or making tropical butterflies. It’s a chance to do something with your brain and hands, and set daily concerns aside for a while. All materials are provided.
Dementia-friendly gallery tour: Whatever the Weather
Wed 23 March, 10.30am to 12.30pm, £15 (includes companion, free if first visit)
The tour will look at the exhibition Whatever the Weather, which reflects how storms have shaped our environment and our imagination. The tour starts with refreshments and a chat about springtime.
Part of RAMM’s programme of Living Each Season dementia-friendly programme, activities are suitable for people with mild to moderate memory problems, accompanied by a friend, relative or carer. Led by specially trained staff, and designed to be enjoyable for both people with dementia and carers, each visit begins with refreshments and ends with an illustrated information sheet to take home and carry on the conversation. Numbers are limited to ensure the best possible experience, so please book in advance. Limited disabled parking is available. Tickets should be presented at the Garden reception.
Gallery Activities – Hands-on History
Second World War Handling Sessions
Tuesdays 12 & 26 Jan, 9 & 23Feb and 8 & 26 Mar, 11am to 3pm, free, drop in
Explore and handle authentic and replica Second World War objects in the Making History gallery.
Life and Death in Ancient Egypt: Activities
Saturdays 30 Jan, 20 Feb and 19 Mar, 11am to 3pm. Drop in. £2.50
Come and learn about life and death in Ancient Egypt. Learn and help with a re-enactment of the mummification of Shep en-Mut. Have a go at the addictive Ancient Egyptian game of Senet. Join the Scribe School and learn how to write in hieroglyphs.
Life and Death in Ancient Egypt: Tours
Saturdays 30 Jan, 20 Feb and 19 Mar, 11.30am to 3pm. Drop in. £2.50
Join one of our 30-minute tours of our Egyptian Collection. Learn about the background to the collection and visit the Tomb of Shep en-Mut. Tours leave every 30 minutes from the ground floor geology corridor. Each tour is limited to 8 people on a first come first served basis.
Guided Tours and Talks
All tours of RAMM’s galleries are available for private group bookings: contact ramm.extra@exeter.gov.uk or 01392 265984.
Museum Full Site Tour
Sat 16 January, 11am to 12noon, £5
Join a 60-minute tour of our permanent collections.
World Cultures Tour
Thu 11 Feb, 11am to 12noon, £5
Join a 60-minute volunteer led tour of our internationally important World Cultures collection which includes objects from the Pacific, Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Near East.
Behind the Scenes Tour: More in Store
Wed 17 Feb, 2 to 2.50pm, £5
Take a 50-minute behind the scenes tour. See some of the reserve collections and find out more about the museum conserves, displays and stores objects.
Museum Full Site Tour
Wed 16 Mar, 2pm to 3pm, £5
Join a 60-minute tour of our permanent collections.
Local History Tour
Sat 5 March, 11am to 12pm, £5
Join a 60-minute tour of our Local History collection, which includes the Archaeology of Devon, from Roman and medieval times, through to Exeter in the Second World War.
Family Activities
A Wild Day In
Saturday 13 February, 10am to 4pm, Drop in. Children £3, adults free
From mystery skeletons and meet-the-experts to creating a skyscape of birds and playing the game of Frankinsect! A Wild Day In is a great way to get closer to some of Devon’s birds, find out more about local wildlife in winter, and chat to those who know what’s where and when to see it.
Organised with RSPB, registered charity no. 207076. No wildlife or habitats should be harmed, put at risk, or unduly disturbed.
Met Office Activity Zone
Wed 17 & Thu 18 Feb
10.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30 to 3.30pm. Donation of £1 encouraged.
Get hands-on with some fun weather and climate experiments, including cloud-in-a-bottle and climate roulette, or chat to Met Office volunteers about what it’s like to work at the world-leading organisationbased in Exeter.
Part of RAMM’s programme of activities and events accompanying its exhibition Whatever the Weather (21 Nov to 10 April), a lively mix of historical paintings and prints, artefacts, archives and the work of contemporary artists exploring humanity’s relationship to the weather.
Little Explorers
Tue 16 Feb, 10.30 to 11.30am, £6 per child, £3 siblings
A chance for under fives to take a journey of discovery and make collections-inspired creations. Parents, grandparents and carers can enjoy quality time with their little ones in a friendly, social environment.
Book in advance through The Creation Station https://v1.bookwhen.com/thecreationstationexeter T: 0844 8244534 mobile 07925 653942
Courtyard Clangers animation workshops
Fri 19 Feb, 10am to 12.30pm and 1.30 to 4pm. £5 per child per session (am or pm)
Museum adventures with the Clangers: help create a short animated film featuring the famous family of knitted mouse-like creatures.
Morning session for children aged 5 to 7, afternoon session for children aged 8 to 12. Part of Animated Exeter Festival. There is also an early-evening Clangers talk for families and animators.
Bringing back the Clangers: early evening talk for families, fans and animators
Fri 19 Feb, 6.30 to 7.30pm, £6
When it was announced that Clangers was returning to our TV screens, there was intrigue, nostalgia and a great deal of scepticism from people who hold the original close to their hearts. Clangers director Chris Tichborne will talk about working with Peter Firmin and Dan Postgate to create the new series, the day-to-day running of the studio and the animation process through to winning a BAFTA this year. Chris will also be announcing the winner of the Animated Exeter Festival’s Knitted Clanger competition. Bring your camera for an opportunity to be photographed with a real Clanger. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Little Explorers: Easter
Tue 29 March and 5 April, 10.30 to 11.30am, £6 per child £3 siblings
Courtyard
A chance for under fives to take a journey of discovery and make collections-inspired creations. Parents, grandparents and carers can enjoy quality time with their little ones in a friendly, social environment. Book in advance through The Creation Station https://v1.bookwhen.com/thecreationstationexeter T: 0844 8244534 mobile 07925 653942
Courtyard Family Activities: Easter
Wed 30 & Thu 31 March, Fri 1 & Fri 8 April, 10.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30 to 3.30pm. Drop in. Donation of £1 encouraged
Come and discover our famous bee bags, explorer bags and brain-teaser quizzes. There will be short-and-sweet activities which will change across the holiday, including make-a-mosaic, fuzz-and-felt museum, and costumes to try on. Don't forget to bring your camera to capture those moments
Met Office Activity Zone: Easter
Wed 06 and Thu 7 Apr, 10.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30 to 3.30pm. Drop in. Donation of £1 encouraged
Get hands-on with some fun weather and climate experiments, including cloud-in-a-bottle and climate roulette, or chat to Met Office volunteers about what it’s like to work at the world-leading organisation based in Exeter.
Part of RAMM’s programme of activities and events accompanying its exhibition Whatever the Weather (21 Nov to 10 April), a lively mix of historical paintings and prints, artefacts, archives and the work of contemporary artists exploring humanity’s relationship to the weather.
Performances and Shows
Vintage Valentine’s Ball
Sat 13 Feb, 7 pm for 8pm start, 11pm finish, £10 early bird ticket £7
RAMM has much pleasure in announcing its annual Vintage Valentines' Ball with live music, theatre and more, all jostling for your amorous attention. Six piece band, The Zen Hussie,s will play live. Disseminating their own brand of swing, ska and boogaloo, the band have clocked up a thousand live performances, gaining cult status on the festival circuit. The South West Lindy Hoppers are on hand with dance lessons to ensure your lover is suitably impressed. Nuts and Volts theatre company will be in residence researching the history of romance. They have been commissioned by NEIL (Not Everyone is In Love) to help visitors to understand the true nature of love. As if that wasn't enough there are Vintage DJs, Click Snicket Vintage Photobooth and a vintage dressing up theme.
Tickets are available online or from the Royal Albert Memorial Museum reception in person or by phone using a credit or debit card on 01392 265858 during opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm.
Presented by Cabaret Voltaire. Tickets also available at undergrountickets.net.
Chinese New Year: Performances
Sat 6 Feb, 11am to noon. Free. Drop in
Students from the University of Exeter herald the imminent New Year of the Monkey with traditional performances. There will be stickers for children.
Chinese New Year: Dragon Dancing
Sat 13 Feb, Free Drop in
Traditional dragon and lion dancers snarl and drum their way past the museum as Exeter celebrates the New Year of the Monkey. We regret that the dancers - provided by the University of Exeter – are unable to perform in the rain, so this event will be cancelled in the event of bad weather. There will be stickers for children.
Look online to find out what time the dragon will pass RAMM: www.rammuseum.org.uk/whats-on.
Chinese New Year: Museum Trail
Tue 2 Feb to Sun 28 February. Free
All around RAMM
Celebrate Chinese New Year with a Think Links trail and finding the Chinese objects on display, including a dragon pennant taken in battle, a fortune-telling compass and a dazzling hairpin made of kingfisher feathers. A trail for all ages, with stickers for children.
Pick up a trail guide from Garden Reception or find it online at: www.rammuseum.org.uk/schools/free-teacher-led-visits/free-activity-sheets
Talks and Lectures
Dartington Hall in the 20th Century
11 Feb, 1.10pm, 2.15pm, £6
Maggie Giraud, formerly archivist and curator at Dartington Hall, will tell the story of the discovery in 1925, by Leonard and Dorothy Elmhirst, of a run-down medieval Devon estate. With imagination and wealth, the Elmhirsts turned Dartington Hall into a thriving centre of rural and arts activity. They simultaneously founded what became the most famous progressive school in Europe. This great endeavour was not without critics and some of the outcomes were controversial, not least the radical change it created in the character of the Totnes area. The talk will be illustrated with images, quotations and personal anecdotes.
Organised by Friends of Exeter Museums & Art Gallery, registered charity no. 306649. The Friends support the museum with financial help towards acquisitions and conservation. www.exeter.gov.uk/friends, E friends@exeter.gov.uk.
Pre-Budget Breakfast Discussion
Wednesday 2 March, 8 to 9.30am, £20 including breakfast
Sir Alan Budd, formerly Chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility and Geoffrey Dicks, MBE, in conversation discussing the economic events of the past year and looking ahead to the forthcoming Budget and the prospects for the EU referendum.
Organised by RAMM Development Trust, Registered charity no 1038570. The trust raises money through its patron scheme, sponsorship, events and grant applications.
Annual Drecki Lecture: Celebrating Michael Morgan RI SWAc
15 Mar, 6.30pm to 8pm, £8.50
Mike Lambert is co-owner and founder with his wife Rosemary of Marine House at Beer and Steam Gallery also in Beer. He will highlight what made the late Michael Morgan such a respected and successful artist. Subjects discussed will include Michael Morgan’s sources of inspiration, artists who influenced him, his own thoughts on his work and his chosen medium, and his close relationship with Marine House, his selected gallery. Drinks will be served before the lecture from 6pm.
Presented in conjunction with the South West Academy of Fine & Applied Arts. Organised by Friends of Exeter Museums & Art Gallery, registered charity no. 306649. The Friends support the museum with financial help towards acquisitions and conservation. www.exeter.gov.uk/friends, E friends@exeter.gov.uk.
First World War: Our War too
Tue 29 Mar, 11am to 2pm, Free
Discover and share African and Asian stories of the Western Front. Researchers from multi-ethnic community group Hikmat mark the 100-year anniversary by shining a light on the involvement and sacrifices of African and Asian communities, including Bengali, Chinese, Indian and Pakistani.
Hikmat Devon is a Community Interest Company supporting families and individuals from minority ethnic backgrounds across Devon.
Seaton Down Hoard
Roman Weekend: Seaton Down Hoard
Sat 2 and Sun 3 Apr, 11am to 4pm, free, donations encouraged
Why would you bury all your money in the ground? Come and see the Seaton Down hoard, recently bought by RAMM after it was found buried in a field. Find out how the museum looks after it, meet the characters who might have buried it and discover more of the world in which they lived.
Adult Courses
WEA: Pattern Design for Art, Fashion and Textiles 2
26 January to 8 March, 10am to 1pm, £87
Explore RAMM to increase your understanding of pattern and design. With tutor Nicci Wonnacott, develop your ideas through sketching from the collections and build a portfolio of patterns and textiles designs. Advance bookings from www.wea-sw.org.uk, T01392 457300. Free for those in receipt of means tested benefit.
Course ref: C3526859
DRLC Course: Collections and Identity
Thurs 28 Jan, and 4, 11, 28 Feb, and 3, 10 March, 10am to 12:30pm. Free tickets from DRLC
An opportunity to explore the theme of identity in relation to objects and collections. People's attraction to or repulsion by objects reveals aspects of who we are and our place in the world. Taking an innovative look at RAMM's displays and handling collections, participants will work on a portfolio of creative work to take away. This course is for anyone affected by mental health issues who feels their identity has been compromised in some way. This course is a collaboration between RAMM and the Devon Recovery Learning (DRLC).
Advance booking from (w) www.recoverydevon.co.uk (E) dpm-tr.drlc@nhs.net (t) 01392 677067
Exhibitions
Exeter's Fine Art Collection
24 October 2015 to 8 May 2016
The RAMM collection of topographical prints, drawings and watercolours is a rich source of information about Exeter and its inhabitants. Featured in the display are some distinctive city landmarks, such as Mol’s Coffee House and the Higher Market. The fine art collection also includes outstanding British landscapes. Some of the finest will be displayed this autumn providing dramatic views of Wales, the Lake District and Yorkshire.
The spotlight is also on the artist Cecil Collins (1908–89): an English visionary who drew inspiration from the prophecies of William Blake and Far Eastern philosophy. Collins was born in Plymouth and studied at the Royal College of Art. Between 1939 and 1943 he taught at Dartington Hall. The group of works on display were acquired by RAMM in 2001 through the National Art Collections Fund.
Whatever the Weather
21 November 2015 to 10 Apr 2016
RAMM’s major winter exhibition explores a theme which affects all our lives: the weather. Or more accurately, how weather seems to be constantly changeable, occasionally extreme and always unpredictable. Through a lively mix of historical paintings and prints, artefacts, archives and the work of contemporary artists, the exhibition exposes humanity’s relationship to the elements. It draws on the collections of the Met Office, National Trust and Royal Meteorological Society and RAMM’s own collections.
The show includes rain gods from the Americas, paintings by William Blake and Samuel Palmer, stormy seascapes and ships in distress, private weather diaries, weathervanes, barometers, thermometers and all manner of recording instruments. See Admiral Fitzroy’s first ever weather forecast issued by the Met Office in 1861 and Beaufort’s original table of wind strength (the Beaufort Scale) dating to 1810.
In response to the historical material, RAMM has commissioned as a centrepiece for the exhibition, new work by one of the UK’s leading artists working with digital media. Susan Collins, currently Slade Professor and Director of the Slade School of Fine Art, will create works based on the Devon coast. Artist Joanna Brown will be exhibiting her latest works exploring floods and their aftermath. The exhibition will also include Simon Faithfull's video piece created with the help of a weather balloon and new artwork by Julian Grater.
In developing the exhibition and events programme, RAMM has worked closely with the Met Office and the National Trust. In 2015, the Trust marks the 50th anniversary of its Neptune Campaign to protect Britain’s coasts.
#devonweather
Take part in the exhibition by sharing your Instagram photos of Devon’s varied weather. Either upload your photos to Instagram and include #devonweather in the caption or directly to us through Tumblr. The photos will be shared online and available to browse on an iPad in the exhibition.
Tickets available online or from reception in person or by phone using a credit or debit card on 01392 265858 during opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm.
