Collection Articles
Art - Jan 2021
What's in a frame?
How many times have you looked at an exhibition without noticing the frames or how much they add to the overall display? Frames not only provide support and protection for an artwork, they also affect how we view a painting. When we were developing the ‘Our Art’ gallery at The Box we had to devise a range of framing solutions for some of our most important works of art. Here are some key examples.
Art - Jan 2021
Researching Plymouth's post-war art
In 2015, Engagement Officer Tony Davey was the recipient of the first-ever Maureen Attrill Bursary and used it to research the city’s post-war art collections. Find out more about what the bursary enabled him to do and how it helped his professional development.
News - Jan 2021
Discovering gems in the collections
After spending years transferring our film and photographic collections to The Box, we always knew there’d be some hidden gems waiting to be discovered! We recently discovered of a set of original glass plates showing Argyle legend Jack Leslie playing football in the 1920s – and now we’ve uncovered another photographic gem.
History - Jan 2021
There's a human story behind every object
The police have been an important part of our frontline workforce over the last year – not just here in the UK, but in other parts of the world too. This police truncheon and whistle were donated to our collections in early 2020 by a Mr Brookshaw. We believe they once belonged to a man called Sidney Hannam, who passed away 80 years ago, on 13 January 1941.
Natural History - Oct 2020
Displaying insects & biodiversity
We have over 100,000 insects in our collections at The Box, and we wanted to reflect this in the new natural history gallery, Mammoth.
News - May 2020
Capturing and recording these unprecedented times
We’re living through a historic time. A time which, just like the First and Second World Wars, we and the generations who follow us will remember, debate, study and commemorate.
Art - Apr 2020
Culture in Quarantine, 30 April 2020: A Rainbow of Art
Have you been seeing rainbows? In windows all around Plymouth, as well as the UK, USA, Canada and Europe, children and adults have been crafting rainbows. They're connecting neighbours and communities whilst social distancing measures are in place, and helping to show support for our amazing frontline workers.
News - Apr 2020
Behind The Scenes, 24 April 2020: Cabinets of Curiosities
Since 2016, the Collections Assistants at The Box have been diligently working on a project to explore and document three old wooden cabinets filled with art prints.
Press Release - Feb 2020
Mammoth Moment
It was another ‘huge’ moment for The Box today as our fully assembled woolly mammoth was revealed for the first time.
Press Release - Feb 2020
The Box secures significant funding to keep rare work of art in the UK
The Box has raised nearly a quarter of a million pounds from five key funders to save a rare piece of 19th century studio pottery for the nation.