Seriously Unimpressed

[Vindex]

I had the opportunity today to take advantage of a trip to London (paid for by my employer) and plenty of time before the meeting I was due to attend at Horseguards to go to the British Museum and once more drool over the La Tene swords and, of course, the Durden Collection and the Hod Hill spatha.

You can all appreciate how completely and utterly unimpressed I was to discover that it was the day of a National strike and in order to keep the wretched Elgin Marbles and the other exhibitions open they CLOSED the entire third floor and ALL the Roman galleries. I had just set foot in Hall 49 (Roman Britain) only to be asked to leave. I caught a glimpse of the La Tene swords and that was it.

Harumph...and I wasn't the only person who had travelled some distance to see the Roman Britain displays. Some poor chap had come down all the way from Birmigham to see the shield found in the Thames near Battersea. He was as put out as I was :unsure:.

So, sadly, the people in the pickett line did not get an awful lot of sympathy from me!

[Gesiþ]

Such is the reward of a society that doesn't appreciate history.

[Tarbicus]

So petition your MP to stop the 1% cap on pay rises for public sector workers. Simples

I can feel for your frustration, though. Similar's happened to me at the BM when Hall 49 was shut for renovations.

[caiusbeerquitius]

Darn!

[richsc]

However, it is an important information thing, knowing on any day if a museum's hours or access are restricted. I was in Edinburgh and the museum of Scotland with the Roman artifacts was closed for renovations. A database of all museums with web addresses and / or contact info might be useful.

[Jori]

Welcome to France :lol:

[Redguru]

1% pay rise? I'd take that over the last three years of frozen pay and now a furlough day per week from the end of this coming April through September.


Disgruntled public employee from your former colonies.

[Alanus]

Well, Moi

Have I got a story for you! :cheer:

The same thing happened to me when I went to the National Museum in Naples. The room containing all the ancient Roman and Greek fishhooks was closed, the door locked. So I told the receptionist that I'd traveled 2,000 miles across an ocean to see the exhibits. She called the assistant curator, a beautiful young lady by the name of Maria, who unlocked the room and escorted me in. There I was, in a room full of rare artifacts and all to myself. She even let me photograph them. :woot:

Sometimes it Does work out.

[Robert Vermaat]

She called the assistant curator, a beautiful young lady by the name of Maria, who unlocked the room and escorted me in.

Wouldn't we all want that!!!!


I had the misfortune to visit both Mainz and Aalen (twice) and be greeted by closed doors..

[Alanus]

Hi, Robert

I know what you and Moi mean. I arrived at the house where Vincenzo Bellini wrote his operas, and the doors were locked, the place closed for renovations. At Pompeii and Heraclium, half the exhibits were also closed... for whatever god-aweful reason. :dizzy:

[Nathan Ross]

the house where Vincenzo Bellini wrote his operas...closed for renovations.

Was that the one in Catania? I lived there for a year and that place was closed every day...!

At Pompeii and Heraclium, half the exhibits were also closed...

Absolutely. Both times I've been there half the buildings were roped off for some inscrutable so-called 'work' (ladder leaning against a wall, nobody in sight...). I confess the last time I was in Herculaneum I just stepped over the cordon of one 'closed' place and had a light-footed look around anyway... :neutral:

[Alanus]

Was that the one in Catania? I lived there for a year and that place was closed every day...!

One and the Same. Then I went to the Opera House to catch I Puritani and they were sold out. At Trapani, I went to a god-forsaken southern island, visiting a cave that had neolithic charcoal drawings of tuna. I took one photo (blurred) and my camera battery died. :dizzy:

At Pompeii and Heraclium, half the exhibits were also closed...

Absolutely. Both times I've been there half the buildings were roped off for some inscrutable so-called 'work' (ladder leaning against a wall, nobody in sight...). I confess the last time I was in Herculaneum I just stepped over the cordon of one 'closed' place and had a light-footed look around anyway... :neutral:

I did the same thing, sneaking into the "Fisherman's House." Evidently the Antiquities Cops were having lunch with the non-existant workers. :whistle: