Menu

Behind The Scenes Blog

Almost everyday is different at Colchester + Ipswich Museums.  To help showcase the variety of skills we need, our staff are revealing what they get up to…

Latest Blogs

Colchester Castle

Reviewing the Castle

Earlier in July we were thrilled to welcome students and staff from Marketfield College to Colchester Castle. Marketfield is a SEND college in Clacton-on-Sea, with a mission 'to equip their young adults with the skills necessary to identify purpose, find sustainable...
Read More
A Roman votive plaque with an inscription on it. The plaque is dark green, with the inscription made of punched holes.

Caesar Hic Erat (Caesar was here!)

By Ben Paites, Collections and Learning Curator * Click on the photos below to visit our Collections Online database and discover more. * ​Roman Inscriptions in Colchester Museums' CollectionsInscriptions are any form of writing found on something. The word comes from...
Read More
A picture of rubber sealed clip lid jars containing specimen tubes with preserved spiders and specimen labels. The jars are filled with a clear, ethanol based, preservative spirit. There are five clearly visible jars, with two stacked on top of another two. More jars are visible indicating that another double stacked row of jars is present behind the one in the foreground and to either side of the main image focus.

Museum Stores

Our team love sharing what they do, so thoroughly enjoy the chance to welcome students for work experience. Arib, Charlotte, Isobel and Isolda joined Ipswich Museums between 13th - 17th June. During their week they spent time with a variety of teams and got to see...
Read More
A colour coronation poster created to mark the coronation of of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. In the centre is a portrait of Queen Elizabeth, surrounded by gold lions and the Union flag.

Jubilee

By Sophie Stevens, Collections and Learning Curator * Click on the photos below to visit our Collections Online database and discover more. *   This year, the Queen will become the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee. It marks the 70 years of...
Read More
A colour copy of a landscape artwork. The scene depicts a river or lake with two windmills on the bank in the distance. Even further away is a tall chimney with smoke coming out the top. The sky is blue and the banks are green,

Are you a Landscape Rebel?

By Emma Roodhouse, Collections and Learning Curator   We're looking for a diverse range of artists, makers, creative and environmental practitioners to take part in three different commissions, inspired by themes in the exhibition Landscape Rebels at Christchurch...
Read More
A close up colour photograph showing a picture of a gentleman wearing a long coat and top hat and lady in a long yellow dress. They are walking a white dog with brown spots. The picture has been created in intricate stitching.

Hollytrees Cushion update

By Megan Fowler, Visitor Information Assistant In September 2021, we appealed for willing volunteers to help us revamp the window seat cushions for Hollytrees Museum. Meg from Visit Colchester / S&B Colchester, along with local stitchers Tamsin, Sophie, Liz, Jen...
Read More

Mammoths

By Sophie Stevens, Collections and Learning Curator * Click on the photos below to visit our Collections Online database and discover more about that object. *   Some of my favourite specimens in the Colchester Natural Science collections are the mammoth fossils....
Read More
A colour photograph showing part of a woolly rhino skull resting on two rectangular blocks. The skull is a creamy colour with reddish areas and would be rough to touch. The bottom edge of the skull has teeth protruding from it. There is a recess on the right hand side for the nostril.

Animal diversity of the Ice Age

Ipswich Museum’s new published type and figured catalogue By Dr. Simon Jackson, Collections and Learning Curator, Ipswich Museums This February we have published online most of our collection of type and figured fossil specimens, which are amongst our most important....
Read More
The oil painting Walton Bridges by Turner. It depicts a river with white and brown cattle on the left hand riverbed and standing in the water. On the right hand side of the river are people in sail boats. In the distance are bridges stretching over the water and beyond those a line of trees. The sky is full of light grey and white clouds.

Landscape Rebels Art Projects Panel

By Eleanor Root and Emma Roodhouse, Collections and Learning Curators Ipswich Museums Service would like your ideas to shape our next round of artist projects! ‘Landscape Rebels’ is our next exhibition at Christchurch Mansion, opening in October 2022. The exhibition...
Read More
A colour photograph showing a table covered with aerial photographs of countryside, large sheets of white paper, colouring pens and pencils. Around the outside of the table are children drawing pictures

One Earth, One Future

Using Satellite Images to Inspire Biodiversity Artwork   By Simon Jackson, Collections and Learning Curator    21st century space technology allows us to study the Earth's surface in incredible detail and to see how its complex environments are changing. It...
Read More

Where will your adventure start?