By Matthew McMahon- Museum Collections Officer
Fig. 1
If you visit the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium this summer you will see our newest temporary exhibition, focused on some of the treasures held in our historic collection of scientific instruments and archives. Cabinets of Curiosity has been curated and designed by students from Queen’s University Belfast History department as part of the module ‘Cabinets of Curiosity: Museums Past and Present’.
The students involved were able to visit the Planetarium earlier this year and work with our Heritage staff to understand how to tell a story through exhibition text and how to handle precious historical pieces safely, while also learning about them. Researching these historic objects involves a range of skills, from safe handling to identifying different materials and manufacturing techniques, as well as a keen eye for hidden details like serial numbers, the names of makers, and stamps! After being trained they were given access to objects from the collection and encouraged to select objects to display. The objects were drawn from our extensive collection of over 32,000 entries, and range in age from the mid 1700’s to the late 1980’s!
The students were able to come back a few months later, having researched their chosen objects through books in the library at Queen’s, and the internet. Before the cases were filled, we did a ‘test-fit’ in the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium library which gave the students the opportunity to make sure everything would fit, and to group objects into themes, as well as time to experiment with layouts and ensure everything was visible from different angles.
Fig. 2
The objects were varied, and include books, toys, rare scientific instruments and even an electronic calculator! Based on the historic cabinets which were prominent in rich homes throughout the Rennaissance and into the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries, the exhibition was an opportunity to highlight the important role of objects in the daily life of the Observatory and the people who lived there. Some of the objects have fascinating connections between each other, and we’d like to encourage you to think about what connections you can find in the cases!
Thanks to Prof. Elaine Farrell and Prof. Christopher Marsh for selecting Armagh Observatory and Planetarium as the 2024 ‘Cabinets of Curiosity’ Venue, and to all the students for their excellent work, we hope you enjoy the exhibition!
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