slotter47 Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Reminiscing about some of the exhibits on school visits to Weston Park Museum in the 50's and 60's,remember the polar bear,japanese wrestlers,giant multi bladed penknife and I think a wasp or bees nest in the window. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmarshman Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 I well remember visits to Western Park museum in the 1950's , and as I recall was a good experience for a schoolboy. When I visit Sheffield and pass the museum I often think I should like to recapture that magic , but alas dont seem to have the time or there is the problem of parking. I do however have the feeling that the exhibits will have been 'dumbed down' and made infant friendly like many heritage sites by the so called lefty Liberal educationalists. Maybe someone will prove me wrong with my assumption. Gary Marshman North wales Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lectrolove Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 I well remember visits to Western Park museum in the 1950's , and as I recall was a good experience for a schoolboy. When I visit Sheffield and pass the museum I often think I should like to recapture that magic , but alas dont seem to have the time or there is the problem of parking. I do however have the feeling that the exhibits will have been 'dumbed down' and made infant friendly like many heritage sites by the so called lefty Liberal educationalists. Maybe someone will prove me wrong with my assumption. Gary Marshman North wales I'm afraid your assumption is correct, it's little more than a glorified creche these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillsbro Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Reminiscing about some of the exhibits on school visits to Weston Park Museum in the 50's and 60's,remember the polar bear,japanese wrestlers,giant multi bladed penknife and I think a wasp or bees nest in the window.Yes - I always used to marvel at the Japanese wrestlers. Although no longer on public view they can be seen online here (click on the picture to enlarge). The polar bear's nose had been worn smooth by generations of kids patting it. I don't know if this is the same bear remounted - it looks very different and its nose is cleaner. The beehive was in the form of a tall box a few inches thick, made of perspex so you could see the honeycomb and the bees at work. It was in the first room on the right as you went in, mounted next to a window with an entrance/exit for the workers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old tup Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Hi Hillsbro if my grey cells are still in order I seem to remember the polar bear on all fours,does anybody recollect or am I ready for wheeling away?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmarshman Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 My suspicions prove to be correct. I visited the museum when I was maybe 9/10 years old , it became a fascination for further visits, and at that age I recognised the significance of the exhibits and our schools used many of the contents as basis for historical tuition. Like all education in this country, it has been 'dumbed down' to show improving results ,and now we see our education system has failed more than a generation of our children. Maybe this a reason for our departure into Third World economy.Maybe we should blame the Labour Governments for its abolishment of Grammar Schools. ? Gary Marshman North Wales Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillsbro Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Hi Hillsbro if my grey cells are still in order I seem to remember the polar bear on all fours,does anybody recollect or am I ready for wheeling away?.Yes it was on all fours and not in a case - this is how its nose got so worn. I haven't seen the one shown in the link I posted. It may be a different bear, but the caption states "Snowy the polar bear is back". I just wondered if the original bear could have been sent aqway to a taxidermist for the skin to be restored and re-mounted as it appears in the online photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huxley Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 wasn't there a mummy too? ---------- Post added 16-01-2014 at 16:45 ---------- eqyptian sort....not a polar bear parent!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scousemouse Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 I worked on Westbourne Road in the 60's and we used to go down to the gardens to have our lunch. I had a sheepskin coat (very popular then!) I remember one of the parrots walking across my chest by hanging on to the buttons!! The last time I was there was over 40 years ago, I promising myself I will go again................! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillsbro Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 wasn't there a mummy too?....Yes - the painted "box" that contained the mummy was on view, also an X-ray photograph of the embalmed/bandaged occupant - I think it was an Egyptian queen or noblewoman. Going back to the 1960s there was also the "preserved head of a Maori chief" which looked like this one but with less hair. It was later taken off display as it was rather macabre, also there was a cultural/religious conflict with modern-day Maori people, I think they wanted it back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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