Exploring the World’s Largest Museum Dedicated to the History of Seafaring- National Maritime Museum

 


I was very excited to visit the National Maritime Museum as I used to intern at a maritime museum! That internship is what solidified my love for museum work and I credit the experience with placing me on my current career path. The museum I worked at focused on North Carolina's maritime history and coastal ecology. The National Maritime Museum shares the story of the UK's maritime history and global involvement. Topics of piracy, the slave trade, war, exploration, and current research were all addressed. 

I arrived in the arctic exhibit section just in time to hear a presentation on Ernest Shackleton. The presenter was one of the most confident and engaging that I have ever witnessed. I was also very impressed with the level of interactivity and technology within the exhibits. Some displays had projections of ghostly figures wandering around model ships, others had maps that combined audio with visuals depicting sea voyages, and a kids' zone had an area to experiment with Morse code and radio communication. One exhibit feature that stuck out to me in the arctic section was that a year four class had written and donated poems as part of their history curriculum. The poetry was displayed alongside related artifacts. The museum struck a balance between displaying artifacts for viewing and also allowing visitors to use their other senses and experience history in a new way. My favorite thing about museum and library work is creating displays. There are so many ways to elevate displays and enhance a visitor's experience. I left the National Maritime Museum inspired to find creative tactics that combine programming and displays. 

Relevant links:
https://www.rmg.co.uk/national-maritime-museum

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