Inspired by the most inquisitive visitor ever who came and really tested my knowledge yesterday (perfect mental warm up for all the questions we'll get about the collections over the holidays) I thought it would be useful to give some suggestions for things to consider when exploring objects.

All objects have some kind of a story, and objects are all evidence of somewhere, something, or somebody ans as such all have stories to tell.

So when you're looking at an object for the very first time, thinking about some of these will guide your exploration:

Is it real or a model?

How old is it?

Is it man made or natural?

What might it have been used for/by whom/when/for what?

Does it remind you of anything you've seen before?

Some of our busy school visitors investigated and explored objects in the gallery, through careful questioning and research they discovered lots about their objects. Here is a selection of the labels they wrote

What a crazy few weeks of weather we have had! In one week the weather reporters have featured record breaking temperatures, hosepipe bans and now snow in many places!

The high pressure gave us plenty of sunshine and record breaking temperatures but now temperatures have returned more to what we would normally expect for the time of year.

Meanwhile, the temperature of our planet is still rising. 2010 was the hottest year across the globe. For the UK this seems to mean that wierd weather is becoming more and more normal. We have certainly seen some strange weather since starting our investigation.

BBC Horizon broadcast a program called ‘Global Weirding’, it explored the science behind why the world’s weather seems to be getting more extreme.

It will be interesteing to see what our results show this year.

I've recieved all the data now so after Easter I will be looking at the trends and discussing them with schools.

Many thanks to all the bulb buddies that have worked so hard keeping records since last November.

Enjoy the Easter Break!

www.museumwales.ac.uk/scan/bulbs

Twitter http://twitter.com/Professor_Plant

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Wood for the Trees return to the T? Gwyrdd this Saturday, 7^th of April. Earlier this year they held a footstool making workshop, which was a great success as can be seen from the picture. Participants made their own footstools from start to finish, from planing the stool legs to the upholstery work at the end. 

The footstool workshop was for people who had booked in advance, but this time the T? Gwyrdd doors will be open to all for an Upcycling Chalky Workshop! There will be a chance to make your own blackboard to take away with you and also the chance to decorate some furniture! 

The T? Gwyrdd will be open between 11 and 1 and again from 2 till 4 after lunch, so why not drop in and see what’s on offer!

Click here for more information.

These photos are from february half term, but I'd forgotten to put them on the blog until now (in fact I thought I had put them on the blog already but I must have just popped a few on twitter...).

It may be hard to tell but the art work is based on the mural of Noah's Ark in the church here in St Fagans: National History Museum. I drew the ark on a large piece of paper and asked the children to add animals to it - some they had drawn themselves and some coloured in from pictures provided. I also drew a couple of pictures of a devil and a dragon based on those in the church and they went down a storm! I must remember to bring those nasty creatures back round about halloween!

There will be drop in art sessions over the may bank holiday, so please come by and say hello!

Sian

Welcome to the Clore Discovery Centre. For those of you who maybe haven’t ventured through our huge double doors we’re a ‘hands on’ gallery on the ground floor of the National Museum Cardiff.

 Come to us to explore hundreds of Museum objects: insects, fossils, minerals and gemstones, animal skulls, Roman pottery and Bronze Age weapons (to name but a few!) It’s your chance to get to grips with a few of the 7.5 million objects normally buried away in our stores.

 These real objects can inspire adults and children alike. Over time we’ll be posting some examples of your responses to the collections and giving you some ideas to help you get the most from the gallery and its collections.

 Why not bring your ‘mystery objects’ to the gallery and our experts will help you identify them. We’ll be putting our favourites on the blog and asking you to join in with your ideas.

See you soon!