Blog

Rock-tastic fun for schools during British Science Week

by Rachael Hall, engagement officer for learning Over 200 children came to the museum during British Science Week in March to learn about rocks and soils. They took part in a range of activities, such as handling different types of rocks and making a r…

My climate emergency dress – and why I donated it to M Shed

by Melanie Ruth, dress creator Why a climate emergency dress? I’ve used my dress as both an expression of my creativity and love of design – as ‘Wearable Art’. More deeply, it reflects my concerns about the climate emergency we face an…

Presenting Year 7s – behind the scenes at M Shed

By Saffron Smolka – Museum Learning Marketing Officer. On a very wet and wild day in February, a group of local Year 7 students had the whole of M Shed to themselves. This was on a Monday when the museum is closed to the public. South Bristol Yo…

Arnos Vale Cemetery archive now open

By Graham Tratt, Archivist The records of Arnos Vale Cemetery are now available for research at Bristol Archives. The collection documents how this Victorian cemetery developed and records the generations of Bristol people laid to rest in its groun…

One vast interconnected world: Paul Mellon grant to digitise collection

by Nicky Sugar, Archivist Throughout 2019, staff from the British Empire & Commonwealth Collection at Bristol Archives worked on a project to open up access to some of our oldest photographic collections. This was generously funded by the Paul Me…

Returning the Cree coat

by Lisa Graves, curator of World Cultures In March 2019 a letter was received from Aanischaaukamikw, the Cree Cultural Institute (ACCI) in what is now known as Quebec, officially requesting the transfer of this coat to their guardianship. In January 20…

Digitising the British Empire & Commonwealth film collection

by Jayne Pucknell, Archivist The digitising of some of our most important or unusual films from the British Empire and Commonwealth film collection started in July 2019, and will run to autumn 2020. We have around 2,000 films in the British Empire and C…

The launch of the Uncomfortable Truths project

By Caroline James – Digital Apprentice What is the Uncomfortable Truths project? A group of 14 University of the West of England students and alumni collaborated with the museum to create the Uncomfortable Truths project. They were introduced to a s…

You Make Bristol

By Finn White, Engagement Officer – Communities You Make Bristol 2020 M Shed’s You Make Bristol display celebrates people who’ve made a difference. It features everyone from community workers to campaigners and musicians to models. Every few yea…