Francisco Silva Noelli: Reflections on ITP 2011
Sundays during the British Museum´s International Training Programme, by Francisco Silva Noelli
The ITP weekly training is long and demanding, with six days of intense study and work that usually ends at 5 pm, sometimes later. After this time we are all tired and there is little time to explore London and the other cities where the Programme takes us apart from the tasks we need to perform after 5 pm. And on Sundays – to rest or go out?
In ITP 2011 I chose to go out. I went almost every day to pubs for happy hour until 7 pm, to recharge my batteries and improve my English with new friends from the program. I went to visit other museums, art galleries, monuments, historical and archaeological sites on Sundays. As the focus of ITP is the museum’s operation and management of cultural heritage, I enjoyed the Sundays and rare days off to visit these places and learn more about the different ways to do both activities. Sometimes I was alone, but often I had the pleasure of the company of colleagues from ITP, especially Fabiola, Abdullah, Manisha, Melten, Levent and Joyee.
A pub in Manchester…
Below I show the list of visited sites (sites visited on Sundays and days off are marked with #). Some museums charge admission, as the Royal Observatory or related to British Heritage, but many times I got free with my BM pass. Therefore, on Sundays and days off from ITP, you can learn more and enjoy London and other cities.
Royal Observatory, busy on Sunday…
Remember that the exhibits are the result of knowledge and creativity. Our inspiration is also due to many hours of study, observation and critical analysis of museums, art galleries, monuments, historical and archaeological sites.
LONDON:
The British Museum; Kew, Royal Botanic Gardens; The British Library; Horniman Museum; Tate Gallery #;Shakespeare Globe Theatre #; Imperial War Museum London #; Tower of London #; London Bridge Museum #; Petrie Museum #; John Sloane´s House #; Hunterian Museum (Royal College of Surgeons) #; Museum of London #; Museum of London Docklands #; The Queens House #; Royal Observatory Greenwich #; National Maritime Museum #; Old Royal Naval College #; Royal Air Force Museum London #; Cutty Sark at King William Walk (I saw the boat repair) #; Highgate Cemetery #; (in 2010 I went in the other city museums)
BRISTOL:
Brunell´s SS Great Britain; Bristol Cathedral
WILTSHIRE
Salisbury Cathedral; Stonehenge Monument; Avebury Monument
OXFORD:
Pitt-Rivers Museum; Ashmolean Museum
CAMBRIDGE:
The Polar Museum; Museum of Classical Archaeology; (in 2010 I went in the other city museums)
MANCHESTER:
Manchester Museum ; Whitworth Art Gallery; John Rylands University of Manchester Library; People´s History Museum #; Imperial War Museum North #; Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) #; Manchester Art Gallery #; Mancunium, the remains of Castelfield Roman Fort #
LEEDS:
Leeds City Museum
YORK:
York Minster (partially) #; Clifford’s Tower (partially) #; York city’s medieval walls (5 km walk in the rain!) #; Yorkshire Museum and its Museum Gardens #; York Castle Museum #; JORVIK Viking Centre #
LIVERPOOL:
Walker Art Gallery #; Merseyside Maritime Museum #; International Slavery Museum #; World Museum #; Liverpool Museum (I was on the 17th, but the museum opened only july 19…); The Cavern Club #
BRIGHTON:
Royal Pavilion; Brighton Museum and Art Gallery; Brighton Pier