: Community Engagement

We're busy getting ready for the redevelopment project at the National Slate Museum, which is due to start November 2024! We want to give volunteers the opportunity to be a part of this phase of the project by helping us clean, catalogue and pack our collection in the Pattern Loft. 

To ensure our wonderful industrial collection is protected whilst essential conservation and renovation work is done on the Gilfach Ddu, the collection will be moving. Or at least some of it! Our Collections & Cataloguing Assistants, Osian and Mathew, have been busy labelling and cataloguing items of the collection that haven't before been looked at in such detail. They will be cleaning them, and packing them safely in crates with tissue paper. 

This is a unique opportunity to welcome volunteers and involve them in new ways. We want to make the most of this opportunity to provide experiences, skills development and help improve people's wellbeing through volunteering. 

Sound interesting? Want to Take Part? Take a look at the full Collection Volunteer role description on the website.  You will be able to volunteer on Tuesdays or Thursdays, 10:00-1:00. We can be flexible to suit public transport. This project will run from 24 September to 31 October, but further collections volunteering opportunities will become available in the new year. Any questions? Get in touch with Chloe Ward, Volunteering & Engagement Coordinator on chloe.ward@museumwales.ac.uk. 

I’m currently studying heritage conservation at Cardiff University, so I wanted to undertake his placement as I have a keen interest in how museums digitise their collections for educational purposes and to increase the accessibility of the heritage they safeguard, and I also wanted to explore how museum collections are used for research purposes.

What are diatoms?

Diatoms are microscopic, single-celled algae that inhabit oceans, rivers, and lakes. They are notable for their intricate cell walls made of silica, which resemble delicate glass shells when viewed under a microscope. These cell walls, called frustules, have unique and complex patterns. Diatoms play a vital role in the environment by performing approximately one-fifth of the total global photosynthesis. This process not only produces a significant portion of the Earth's oxygen but diatoms also form an important part of aquatic food webs, supporting a diverse range of marine and freshwater organisms.

Their importance for research lies in their ability to act as bio-indicators in aquatic ecosystems. Analysis of diatom populations and diversity studies have been used to evaluate human impact on freshwater and marine environments. As bio-indicators, diatoms can be used to assess the levels of organic pollution, eutrophication and acidification of their aquatic environment. Different species have differing tolerance levels of environmental conditions like water pH (the acidity or alkalinity of the water) and nutrient concentrations. Several diatom indices have been developed and are used by the Environment Agency to monitor water quality in UK rivers and lakes.

Analysis of diatom populations can also be used to demonstrate trends over time, as Ingrid’s work on the restoration of water quality of the rivers Wye and Irfon through periodic liming shows (for more details visit https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X20309961#ab010). The same case can be made for historical collections stored in museums, which can provide unique insight into historical diatom populations, and which can be used to infer previous environmental conditions and compare them to those found in contemporary studies.

In addition to their environmental and research importance, diatoms are incredibly beautiful. So much so, that during the Victorian period, they were often assembled into decorative arrangements on microscope slides. For the uninitiated, I would highly recommend searching for images of Johann Diedrich Möller’s work as well as the more contemporary works of Klaus Kemp; they are truly astounding arrangements. 

The Placement

Under Dr. Ingrid Juttner’s excellent guidance I learned basic diatom morphology and how to identify Gomphonema species, which typically display asymmetry along the trans-apical axis (i.e. the top and bottom halves are not usually mirror images of each other).

Ingrid took me through the process of diatom analysis in light microscopy, from “cooking” the water samples with hydrogen peroxide to remove organic cell content and preparing the microscope slides, through to photographing, editing and uploading the images to the museum’s diatom website. The photographs featured were taken with a light microscope at x1000 magnification, and measurements (length, width, striae density) were recorded. These images were then edited and prepared as plates to provide an overview of the cell size distribution in the species population. The plates were uploaded to the website with corresponding literature and morphological descriptions. 

Some notable species I photographed which are now featured on the website are Eunotia arcubus, Eunotia botuliformis and Planothidium incuriatum.

Overall, my placement within the Lower Plants section has

• Provided me with invaluable insights into scientific and particularly, taxonomic, practices
• Highlighted the role that diatoms play in our natural environments
• Demonstrated how museum collections can and are being utilised for the benefit of science as well as being important repositories for mapping changes in biodiversity.
• Illustrated how projects like the Diatom Flora and Fauna of Britain and Ireland can help create accessible resources for professional and amateur researchers as well as opening up collections to a wider public, who might otherwise be unaware of their existence.
• Finally, this placement has been an opportunity to admire the exceptional beauty of diatoms.

If you would like to know more about the diatom collection at the National Museum of Wales, please see the museum’s Diatom Research page  as well as  blog posts by Ingrid entitled ‘Scientific expedition to Rara Lake, Nepal’ and ‘Diatom diversity of the Falklands Islands’. I would also highly encourage anyone interested in diatom identification to view the Diatom Flora and Fauna of Britain and Ireland website.

My heartfelt thanks go out to Dr. Ingrid Jüttner for her instruction, her wealth of knowledge and, not least, her conversation. I would equally like to thank the various staff members who coordinated and supported this placement at Amgueddfa Cymru, may there be many more such opportunities.

Zoe and I completed a work experience week with the Museum. This is my diary of the week. 

Day 1: 

To begin the week, Zoe and I were able to work with Verdun, the Learning Officer, and shadow him whilst he took a primary school class on what the museum calls a ‘Walk with the Romans’, around the Amphitheatre and Barracks. It was clear to me throughout this experience that the children were gaining interest in the presence of Romans in Welsh history, whilst being given the opportunity to dress up in Roman tunics, with shields and wooden swords, and impersonate soldiers charging into battle. The sheer sense of enjoyment from not only the children, but the teachers as well, was clear to me, which I purely believe was a result of the massive amount of enthusiasm and obvious passion for their work shown by the staff involved in providing this experience. By the end of Day 1, I could safely say that I had gained more knowledge of the Romans impact on Welsh history than I ever had in my 17 years of living, along with the ability to understand how to engage with a large audience and maintain their full attention for a long duration of time.

Day 2: 

As my desired career involves marketing, I was given the opportunity to work with Kathryn, the Digital Learning Officer and understand how she advertises the different workshops, events, and exhibits the museum hosts through its website and social media. To begin, Kathryn talked us through the different apps that are used to create digital content to advertise the museum. I was able to create a twitter post for the museum’s twitter account in order to advertise their ‘Roman Classroom’, which is an online teaching platform that involves a ‘costumed facilitator’ explaining all different areas of Roman history. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the different methods that are used in order to advertise and market the Museum online, and encourage more to get involved, and immerse themselves in the Roman history that exists in Wales.

Day 3:

For day 3, we spent the day shadowing Dai, Visitor Experience Supervisor. He talked us through what is required of us in order to ensure that visitors are provided with the best experience possible. I was surprised by the sheer number of visitors the museum has every day, whether it is families, school trips, or tourists, whilst also picking up the knowledge of how to supervise and maintain order within the museum.  

Day 4: 

We spent the day with Mark, Senior Curator of Roman Archaeology. We were given the opportunity to photograph artifacts in order to update the museum’s records and provide photos for the website so people can study online.  As well as using the advanced set up to photograph the artifacts, Mark also trusted us enough to handle the objects like a Roman brooch, lioness ornament, and a tile antefix, which was an especially interesting new experience. Along with this I was able to gain knowledge of the stories behind the different artifacts and what they symbolize at the time. After recording the descriptions, accession numbers, and other important information, Zoe and I were able to record that we were the ones that photographed the artifacts, which will then be uploaded for anyone to see.

Day 5: 

I was able to spent some time with Rosie, Commercial Marketing Officer and she gave me amazing advice on steps I can take in order to achieve my career in marketing. As a result, I have gained a contact in the industry I aspire to become a part of, and this is something I would never have been able to attain if it weren't for this work experience, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Lastly, I would like to express how much I appreciate all the opportunities and experiences this museum has provided me with and how much it will benefit me going forward, and Michelle, Engagement & Volunteer Coordinator, who has been a big factor of my experience here, continuing to welcome Zoe and I every morning and seeing us out every afternoon, and ensuring we are given as many amazing experiences as possible. 

I’ve also been inspired to volunteer – and I now volunteer at my local National Trust Property. 

by Sam, Mark, Hannah and Caitlin Amguedfa Cymru-Museum Wales volunteers

We are four volunteers who answered the volunteering opportunity advert on the Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales website, organised by Elizabeth Walker, Principal Curator at the Museum. The opportunity was to help sort through and catalogue a collection of prehistoric stone tools.

The tools are from the substantial collection made by Henry Stopes, a private collector, in the late 19th Century. There are estimated to be between 50,000 to 70,000 artefacts, with half a million years of history, mostly British, but the collection also contains some mysterious overseas objects.

Each Thursday, with Elizabeth, we spend three hours sorting through the boxes, numbering and categorising each item. It is exciting work and is often stopped when someone finds something so unusual, they want to share it with the group. Such as a Neolithic polished axe head, broken and then clearly recycled or even a Neolithic carved ball. Elizabeth will always help us identify and assist with interesting facts about the stone tools. As we work we also hold interesting discussions which have so far ranged from Beyonce to Boer War; Neanderthals to Korean horror films! Who knows what next weeks’ topics will be.

We, as volunteers, feel fortunate to have this opportunity to be involved in this hands-on museum work, to offer our time and to be part of the recording of the Henry Stopes collection which will help with future stone tool research. Not only is this opportunity an interesting way to see how the behind the scenes works at a museum, the knowledge gained is incredibly useful to our future careers in archaeology. The amount we have all learned from just 3 hours a week is much larger than we would have thought.

So far we have sorted, repackaged and documented 4,659 tools and entered 2,265 new entries into the collection database. 

“March brings breezes, loud and shrill, 
To stir the dancing daffodil.” Sara Coleridge, The Garden Year 

March is Most Likely the Gardener's Busiest Month!

This month has consisted of sowing, sowing, and more sowing! We've sown different varieties of tomatoes, aubergines, runner beans, chilies, watermelons, salad leaves, herbs, and roots (to name a few!). Most have started life in propagators in the orange container (more on that later) or in the polytunnel, as most seedlings prefer a warm environment to germinate. Hardier seeds like spinach have been directly sown outside.

Move Over, Marvin Gaye!

Ani and Laurence expertly pruned the grapevine in the polytunnel. This is the time to cut back the vine to encourage new growth. Don't be afraid to cut back more than you think. The rule of thumb is to choose a few of the strongest canes to leave and prune the rest. Typically, people choose 10 to 12 good canes and shorten them to four or five buds each.

The Hügelkultur Method

We tried the Hügelkultur method with our raised beds alongside the glass panels of the colonnade. In Hügelkultur, you layer different organic materials together, which will slowly release nutrients into the soil for years to come. To try it yourself, simply add a base layer of cardboard, wood such as logs and smaller dried twigs, and hay or grass cuttings, followed by green organic material. Then layer a lot of compost and topsoil, and you're ready to plant. Please note that the soil level will fall as the layers decompose. In this case, simply add another layer of soil to the top.

Bye-Bye, Orange!

This month has seen us update one of the staples in the GRAFT garden: the orange container. Over the years, the vibrant orange container has, well, become a bit tired and showed its age. So we decided to give it a facelift and employed the expertise of brothers Hassan and Kareem, who designed and painted the container. It's turned some heads and really given the garden a new lease on life! The design reflects the important elements of the garden and connects to nature.

A Cockleshell Pathway

We took delivery of some Penclawdd cockles to build a cockleshell pathway, making the garden more accessible, especially on rainy days. This will be an ongoing project, so watch this space!

Natural Dyes Workshop

On Thursday, March 14th, GRAFT volunteers visited the National Wool Museum in Drefach to learn about natural dyes and how to incorporate them into the GRAFT garden.

Susan taught everyone about the natural dyeing process using different plants. Then, everyone had a go at dyeing wool themselves in various colors. They even gave GRAFT seeds to get started, which we plan to plant this month!

Chai and Chat Takeover 

We are fortunate to be able to work with and host many community events and groups here at the Waterfront Museum! We're even more fortunate to offer them a taste of different aspects of the museum. On Wednesday, March 27th, the Chai and Chat group, which meets weekly at the museum, visited GRAFT and helped plant some seeds, transplant tomato seedlings, move strawberry plants, and harvest salad from our polytunnel. We're excited to welcome them back to the garden in the future!

Farewell, Zoë!

March also sees us sadly say farewell to one of the project founders, Zoë, who will be leaving the museum for new adventures! She leaves a great legacy in GRAFT and will be missed by all the volunteers, partners, and staff who use the garden.

I will be updating readers every month or two months with the general work we have done in the garden. We will pass on information we have learnt, things we have done well (and not so well) and any tips for budding gardeners (or experienced gardeners) out there to take to your own green space. I will also include a seasonal recipe from The Shared Plate using ingredients from GRAFT.