Ancient Warfare Museum...

[Nerva]

Salvete Omnes!

When we we’re hosting our event at the National Museum one of the curators made an interesting suggestion to us ‘with all of this equipment, why don’t you open your own museum?’. We thought she was joking, but she was being serious. We talked a little about this. She told me there were many ‘part-time’ private museums operating in the UK and in Europe, and we had the extra dimension of being able to offer various activities to the public.

This gave us food for thought. Would it be possible for a group of enthusiastic re-enactors to set-up and run a museum? We have done a bit of research, spoken with the National museum, the Cork city museum and with UCC and the Corporation. All have promised support for such a project. With their encouragement we have decided to give it a go!

We have decided to open an Ancient Warfare museum. This museum will display original and replica artefacts, military equipment and clothing based around several themes such as life in a fort, life on campaign, life of civilians etc. Apart from equipment there will be history and story boards and many small exhibits. We will add to the displays as we purchase more items.

The museum will initially focus on Greek and Roman history and be part time, opening one week-end per month, but we hope to extend this to two week-ends per month eventually, in time who knows! We would like this to be used by other groups to run historical events from other periods. There is a huge amount of work involved in this and no doubt we’ll probably make all kinds of cock-ups at the start, but we hope the idea of a museum run by enthusiastic re-enactors will work out.

In time we intend to extend the museum to other periods and actively seek your co-operation to stage events and displays because we believe we, the re-enactment community, know how it should be done…or that’s what you all keep telling us!

We are looking at two premises, one near the city centre and one in the ‘burbs’. All going well we will have secured the preemies by mid May and open at the end of May. We intend to have a free space to host displays from guest groups (you) who want to use the venue to stage a display of your historical period and focus.

[jkaler48]

You should have a gift shop to sell historically accurate items to help fund the museum!!! You could apply for grant money from the government. And of course you should build a Roman Fort and use the buildings to house the exhibits.

[Nerva]

My thoughts exactly :lol:

[Goffredo]

Yes
a great idea. Go for it! A USA based one and one in europe!

[Iagoba]

My fencing club is the embryo of a something similar project in my town, but in this case is to make the local armoury museum a bit more "alive"...

We want to have replicas to fill the gaps in the artifacts of the museum, or to explain different types or armour, etc, (for example, a bit of open chainmail, riveted chainmail, scale armour, etc...) so the people can touch and see it, not only see it in a cabinet. Explay why the thins are like they are.

The same with some weapons (medieval and renaissance), and some basic fighting explanations (as ancient fencers we are, it´s not difficult)

Our aims are to get the museum alive, destroy myths ("medieval swords weighted 17 kg and they were blunt, there was no need of edge":evil: ) and so on.

It will be hard, but also grateful! :wink:

The educative aspects of the reenactment is one of the things I like more, making History a closer thing, showing the past as someone´s everyday. The research, self learning, and the fun parts are close... :roll:

PS: Try to get near of a "visitable thing" as the National Museum. Some people may like to go both sites! (and the Collins Barracks are impressive!) Perhaps start doing sone regular events to show it will help, making you known (and this include newspapers, potential volunteers, and authorities!).

PSS: Free space for groups? And for one-man-legion, what? I wouldn´t mind going back to Ireland in late roman dress (but with bracae...the weather is not so pleasant)! :lol:

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Great minds.....lol

[Nerva]

Great minds? Your obvisously talking about the man behind me :lol:

[Servio Caro (Javier Sánc]

I think it is a great idea, I also thought time ago about doing something similar at my student residence (it usually holds some picture and photo collections), but I still don't have enough stuff to show. Lets wait a bit :lol:

[Nerva]

Thanks for your support :wink:

[Gaius Longius]

Nice one Martin,

Best of luck in your endeavor.

Usually its getting the support of your local council and getting them to see the benefits that is the hardest part of any historical project.

Deva Victrix awaits your inevitable triumph.

Regards.