Don't use the RAFM Sunderland as a reference

[Max Headroom]

Better visit Cosford before that gets ‘re imagined’ by the same.......geniuses at Hendon.

 

Trevor

[Meatbox8]

I read an interview with the woman now in charge a while back.  While I can't remember the specifics I do remember thinking that the future of the museum was looking bleak.  She didn't appear to have any interest in the aircraft or, indeed, the RAF.  The tone of article's summing up suggested the writer had the same concerns, rightly as it turns out.   It was, as others have mentioned, all that 'outreach', 'relevance' and 'appealing to the local community' rubbish that we seem to be constantly subjected to these days.  Lots of 'interactive' exhibitions (i.e knobs for five-year-olds to press) and groups of schoolchildren screaming and shouting.  Looks like my fears were justified.  Aircraft shunted into the background. cardboard cut outs of service people (all women, apparently) and, judging from the lead photo on the site, a random collection of unrelated exhibits displayed in apparently no discernible order.  Plus, of course, this obsession with suspending aircraft from the ceiling.  Heaven forbid someone comes in who is actually interested in aircraft and wants to take closer look at them, not when we can make them 'fly' from the roof. 

 

Very depressing really that such an important museum should be reduced to a second rate theme park.  Apart from vandalising an iconic aircraft to make way for a cafe' has anyone noticed how, on the site, hangars 3,4 and 5 (the ones that 'only' have aeroplanes in them) have a grand total of three photographs?  And why is the RAF Museum home to a toddlers' play group for Christ's sake. 

 

As far as educating young people is concerned portraying the very serious business of defending this country both in war and peace should not be reduced to the status of a touchy-feely children's playground.  The people responsible for this will, I would imagine, be completely convinced of their own self-righteous belief that they have created a wonderful 'experience' for all to enjoy and to hell with those dusty old aeroplanes and the people who love them. 

Edited August 6, 2018 by Meatbox8
Toned down my indignation (twice).

[Meatbox8]

On 8/3/2018 at 10:34 PM, Max Headroom said:

Better visit Cosford before that gets ‘re imagined’ by the same.......geniuses at Hendon.

 

Trevor

Never been to Cosford as it's a bit of a hike for me, but the Cold War building looks like a prime example of fancy stylised symbolism over practicality.  The ridiculous shape of the building, which I understand is supposed to somehow represent the antagonism between East and West (go figure) has created an interior where it's pretty much impossible to get a good look at any of the larger exhibits.  Still, it's only home to the World's only Vickers Valiant so who cares, so long as the building looks good.  You can just imagine how excited the Lottery Committee were when they saw the plans. 

[Aeronut]

Make the effort to go to the Cold War museum at Cosford and as you enter through the entrance door at the upper end you will discover why Architects are described as 'practicing'.  Keep this thought in mind as you realise that this entry door is also an emergency exit and you step sideways to avoid the horizontal red and white bar across your path. This is placed there to prevent you from colliding with the sloping piece of structural steel that obstructs half of this double width entrance. This structural steel is there because the twisted shape of the building was designed first, the aircraft positioned within the space second and then , and only then, was there any thought given to the paying (through their taxes and lottery purchases) public, 'oops we forgot about the doors'. BTW the red and white pole is also an after thought, put there after the building was opened to the public. No doubt after a number of head / beam collisions.

I'm a volunteer at a museum which is about to undergo a revamp and as such I visit museums with an eye on these new / reworked museums looking for what works and what doesn't, so that I can report back and we avoid the same mistakes.

To be fair the only 'don't do that' observations I have about Cosford are the Cold War door issue, the MSP in the back of the Belfast (I'm an airdrop nerd) and the fact that there isn't a pedestrian entrance to the car park when you are walking back up the hill.

The list of 'don't do that' observations is even longer for Hendon and I'm still amazed that they are proud to tell us they have spent £25M doing it. Where did it all go?

There are , surprisingly things at Hendon I do like, but defacing the Sunderland for the sake of an additional 10 covers at a corporate event and all that empty space is not on.

One final thought, has anyone else who has ben and seen the mess at Hendon thought that asking people to 'scan your fingerprint' to start an interactive display might just be pushing the Data protection laws a tad?

[GrahamS]

On 7/25/2018 at 12:14 PM, Paul J said:

 

 

Whatd oes spoil it, is there are far to many 'touchy feely' thinggs in the way!!!  And not just Hendon.

I think they’re called “Children”.

 

Graham