Science, Sport, Life at Ironbridge Gorge Museum
Chris Holmes MBE, Britain’s most successful individual Paralympic swimmer, officially launched the Ironbridge Gorge Museum’s multi-site Science, Sport, Life programme at the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron.
Part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad through the Stories of the World programme, Science, Sport, Life is supported by Renaissance West Midlands.
Holding a string of world and European titles and 35 world records, Chris joined LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games) in August 2009 as Director of Paralympic Integration for London 2012. Originally from Kidderminster in the West Midlands, he presented a pair of shorts he wore at the Sydney 2000 Games to Barrie Williams, Chairman of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust for display within the Science, Sport, Life exhibition.
Commenting on the new programme, Lord Sebastian Coe, London 2012 Chair, said: "The Science, Sport, Life programme running at the Ironbridge Gorge Museums is a perfect example of the excitement the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad can add to local communities across the UK. Through the ‘Stories of the World’ initiative, Ironbridge has created two exciting permanent exhibitions and a series of events, festivals and community games celebrating our collective sporting heritage and inspiring the sporting heroes of the future."
Barrie Williams, Chairman Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust commented: “The London 2012 Games offers the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust a unique opportunity to deliver a remarkable programme of exhibitions and events over the next eighteen months. As Chairman of the Trust I am incredibly proud to see Ironbridge, the Birthplace of Industry, working closely with such a prestigious collection of partners including our good friends at Much Wenlock, regarded as the Birthplace of the Modern Olympics. Our grateful thanks go to the other museums, sporting institutions and associations and, most importantly, members of the public who have all kindly loaned objects, artefacts and their time to help deliver these world class exhibitions and events.”
Stories of the World
The first two spectacular exhibitions within the exciting Science, Sport, Life programme are now open. Enginuity at Coalbrookdale is providing the main focus with Our Sporting Life: The Science of Sport exhibition, while the nearby Coalbrookdale Gallery is hosting the fascinating Our Sporting Life: Sporting Heroes display. Both these events form part of the official Our Sporting Life programme and the national Stories of the World project.
Presenting exciting new museum exhibitions across the UK, Stories of the World is led by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) in partnership with LOCOG. The project gives young people an exclusive opportunity to work with curators behind the scenes to explore and interpret museum collections, giving a new perspective on the stories that tell us about our place in the world.
Our Sporting Life, The Science of Sport at Enginuity will use the Museum’s collections and loan items to demonstrate the science behind modern, high-performance sports. Running until 9th September 2012 (open daily 10am-5pm, entrance included in admission price), a highlight will be the Olympic gold medal Team GB winning eight rowing boat from the 2000 Sydney Olympics, on loan from the Henley River & Rowing Museum.
The Coalbrookdale Gallery will draw on the Museum’s diverse collections and photographic sources to stage Our Sporting Life, Sporting Heroes, a display of images ranging from football, cricket and quoit teams to rowing clubs and coracle racing. It will celebrate Shropshire’s sporting heroes from England footballer Billy Wright and Captain Matthew Webb, the first man to swim the English Channel, to modern day heroes including boxing legend Richie Woodhall and England goalkeeper Joe Hart. This free entry exhibition will be open 10am to 5pm, mainly Monday – Friday until 29th February 2012.
London 2012 Open Weekend
Additional sport-themed events within the Science, Sport, Life programme will take place over the London 2012 Open Weekend of 23rd – 24th July. On Saturday 23rd the Green at Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron will be the venue for the Science, Sport, Life Festival where visitors will be challenged to have a go at a range of sports. At the same time Enginuity will be offering fitness assessments and the chance to join in fitness shows or have a go at a number of fun, physical health based challenges.
On Sunday, 24th July Blists Hill Victorian Town will stage its own Community Games. Visitors will be able to watch traditional Victorian sports and games such as quoits, croquet and running races and also join in some quirky challenges such as leek flinging.
A Passport to all ten Ironbridge Gorge Museums valid for twelve months and multiple return visits costs £22.50 for adults, £18.25 for the sixty plus, £14.75 for children (up to 18 years in full time education) and £61.50 for families; under 5s free. Individual admission is available into any of the sites. For further information, visit: ironbridge.org.uk. The Gorge is easily reached via the M6 and M54 motorways exiting at Telford (M54 junction 4 or 6).
