W E L C O M E TO D I S S
DISS M USE U M By Basil Abbott n television they have lots of programmes about people on desert islands, or in some outof-their-comfort-zone situation. Ordinary folk are put to the test to see how they will cope and how well they can work together as a team. They are sometimes a bunch of young people or a disparate group of different ages, classes, types etc. I wondered if we could get a group together and give them the task of creating a display - maybe the Community Cabinet.
groups are doing it as well. How would you make yours stand out and avoid the blooming obvious?”
Local societies and individuals already provide the objects for this but the displays are put together by our staff. We could approach an existing group, or advertise for members, or invite people individually to join in.
We have all been to deadly museums where the items are just plonked in the case with no imagination.
The Corn Hall, for instance, has activities for young people, and it would be a partnership opportunity. We could give them the materials, a limited budget, some basic instruction in technique and let them get on with it. “Imagine five other
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One on the Lost Sweetshops of Diss used old-fashioned sweet jars and football cards
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We tend to use Arial font for captions, which need to be at least 18 point in print size. Reading matter should be at adult eye level and should be no more than 100 words. Think of styles, textures, colours, ways of catching the eye and make the visitor linger, when you are lucky if your display merits a glance. Objects can be put on shelves or plinths or suspended from
the top of the case. Our display on the old Diss Hospital was made striking by the inclusion of a skeleton. One on the Lost Sweetshops of Diss used old-fashioned sweet jars and football cards. We wouldn’t make anything out of it, but it would be a way of doing something in the community and could get press coverage. We could even have a little ‘do’ for the public, friends and family to see and comment on their work. They could even make their own video record of it, something that they do at the Corn Hall. Rather than letting it disrupt the normal life of the museum we could invite the public in to see how they were getting on Even if there is no opportunity of doing it at the moment, we could bear it in mind for a later date. A holiday activity, perhaps? Any groups or individuals who are interested can contact me on (01379) 650618 or dissmuseum@lineone.net
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