The Box Plymouth
I was excited to visit The Box in Plymouth recently, as I was invited to book a VIP preview slot and was able to visit the museum before it was officially open to the public.
To quote from their website “The opening of The Box is the most significant cultural initiative in the UK in 2020. The galleries, collections and archives will bring the world to Plymouth and Plymouth to the world. The launch of The Box is also the flagship project of the country’s Mayflower 400 commemorations. The original City Museum and Art Gallery has been completely transformed and extended to combine the Edwardian building with the former City Library and St Luke’s church. The Box also features a striking elevated ‘archive in the sky’ with research and learning facilities, along with a major new public square for gigs, performance, theatre and events”
https://www.theboxplymouth.com/
It felt incredibly special to see the inside of this amazing new purpose-built extension and redevelopment of the whole site. I was particularly looking forward to viewing the new temporary exhibition ‘Mayflower 400: Legend and Legacy’. I was involved in contributing to the content of this exhibition following a meeting with the exhibition Curator and Co-creator Jo Loosemore a couple of years ago. Jo was particularly fascinated by the story of North Devon pottery and its export to the New World and it was great that we both shared this enthusiasm. After our meeting Jo followed up some contacts that I had in Virginia and it was wonderful to see some objects, including North Devon pottery sherds, that had been sent across to the Museum to be featured in this opening exhibition. It was also important for me to Include what happened before the Mayflower embarked to Plymouth on previous encounters with and attempts to colonise the Eastern Seaboard of America. This includes the earlier Expeditions leaving Bideford in the 1580s and sailing out to what is now modern day Roanoke island in North Carolina – indeed the Story of the Lost Colony which warrants another post at some stage as there is much to tell.
I am thrilled to report that Jo very much took all of this on board and made sure it was featured in the exhibition , so thank you Jo for listening and agreeing that is was vital to include this information.
https://www.theboxplymouth.com/whats-on/mayflower-400-legend-and-legacy
Unfortunately, I was unable to take any images of the exhibition as photography was not permitted on the day! The photograph above is one of my own, taken when I viewed a collection of North Devon pottery found in Charlottesville, Virginia. It is indicative of the type and form of vessel that the colonists would have taken with them to Roanoke island. This is a 17th century baluster jar and fragments of these have indeed been found on the island.