In message
, Mr
Thant writes
Dr. Barry Worthington wrote:
Why? The average public, including the children, would much prefer to
see more vehicles.
Really? The biggest problem with the old layout (for me at least) was
that it had too many very similar buses/trams, and it just got dull
very quickly. The current selection seems about right given the size
of the space. I just wish the non-vehicle exhibits were more
imaginative.
Right, as the person that started this thread (!), I've now been to the
Museum to see for myself. (I actually went last Wednesday but this is
the first chance I've had to write down my impressions.)
There was a queue to get in, although that vanished quite quickly when
it transpired that it was a group (c15 young-ish US visitors).
My first reactions weren't good. The "World Cities" "gallery" is a
complete waste of space. Although there might (*might*) be some merit
in comparing public transport in different cities, this is a triumph of
form over purpose. Flickering videos and walls decorated with parts of
metro maps do not explain transport in different cities.
Signposting towards the lift (and therefore the natural way round0
seemed temporary or "added on" since the place had opened. How can the
visitor route not have been properly marked from the start!?
Then there was the lift. We had to wait for quite a while and I began
to wonder what this would be like when *really* busy. When the lift
did come, the aforementioned group shuffled in.......only to have the
"car overloaded" sign come up. Some of them shuffled out.......and
still it said "car overloaded". Eventually, the lift was barely half
full and the doors shut. When the lift returned, the other half of the
group shuffled in and as some of the rest of us followed.......the "car
overloaded" sign came up again. I gave up and went off in search of
the stairs.
Arriving at the top, I was more impressed. Clearly a lot of thought
has gone into explaining the London of the early 19th century which
spawned Shillibeer and his Omnibus. Top Marks.
Heading down, I was also pleased by the Metropolitan display and the way
in which the need for underground railways was felt so early in London.
I was even more pleased to see the concept of "MetroLand" covered so
well. This is an incredibly important part of London's past and one in
which the new Museum is a marked improvement.
And so down to ground level. The tubes, from the Padded Cell to the
mid twentieth century stuff were good and the use of technology to
project the posters on to the ground was - I thought - eye catching and
informative at the same time. There also seems more space in the
display cases for things.
Then on to road transport. Ah.
I can't disguise the disappointment I felt here. The reduction in road
vehicles on display in just - I think - jaw-dropping. No RT? Only
one tram (and the West Ham example rather than an LCC/LT one?!).
It was good to see a DMS (after all, this too was an important part of
the history of the bus in London) but so much of the ground floor seemed
given over, well, nothing. That huge map display in the centre didn't
inform me of very much and - even if it did - it wasn't worth
sacrificing vehicles for.
Despite what people may or may not think, one of the principle reasons
people go to Museums is to see *things*, not *displays*. Displays can
be good (as many here are) but to "improve" the place by reducing the
exhibits is to me a victory for consultants over customers. Young or
old, domestic or foreign, transport enthusiast or layman, people go to
Covent Garden to see old buses trams and trains and I feel there should
be more of them. As, you may recall, there once were. Remember the
opening in 1980 anyone?
The shop, of course, has been open for some time. One big improvement
though is the new guide book which has appeared. This is brilliantly
written, well illustrated and very well priced. I can't recommend it
highly enough.
And on that positive note I'll end. A lot about the new museum is good
and some of the problems (like the signage and lift) can be sorted out.
Others, like the waste of space and lack of vehicles can't be and it
made me sad.
6/10.
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK
Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk