Mr Hall
I also think that you should submit your proposals to Bromely so that the proposals can be considered in conjunction with the MasterPlan.
I visited the Masterplan exhibition and overall thought the proposals were good. The bottom line is that the park needs some money spent on it, especially the top half of the park. I would hate to see the current proposals stalled on the back of a alternative proposal which may turn out not to be approved (by the council and local residents).
I therefore suggest you submit your proposals and let local residents and the council decide. Otherwise we could talk about this for the next ten years and nothing would get done.
2 other things:
- i am not sure if you are responsible for the shop front in the triangle outlining the proposals for rebuilding the palace, but i do find it worringly one sided and gives an unfair/untrue depiction of the masterplan.
- i am also very sceptical about the funding of £265 million. In the current financial environment I find it hard to see who would put up the cash.
Matt
A new Crystal Palace
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tulse hill terry
- Posts: 686
- Joined: 25 Jun 2007 01:33
- Location: sarf lunnen
I cannot be labeled because I am unique. However, I'm a regular visitor of the museum and help out from time to time. If anyone has any comments, suggestions or feedback about the CPM, sharing them and having them passed on, can only be a good thing. Anybody can do this--not just me! We are all disciples in keeping alive the memory of the Crystal Palace, so we each have a right to speak up.Dear Falkor,
I have been wondering for sometime, has the curator of the Crystal Palace Museum, Ken Kiss, appointed you as representative and spokesman for the museum, or have you taken the role upon yourself?
Gaz, I hear you...
I definitely wasn't present that day. I cannot remember the last time the place was anything like how you describe it, and that's partly due to the English weather. Usually, the temperature is just right. I've never noticed any strange smells apart from when I've experienced strange neurological spells with the scent of fried onions or burning wood and glass. I've never noticed any other visitors with bad breath, either, though I'm sure appropriate action would be taken if such an event occurred. Did you know: I cannot be in the same room, house or street as that of a smoker because I can smell it a mile away! You must have even more sensitive nostrils than my own. I really envy you. I'm sorry that it seemed to smell like an old stuffy library to you on that one visit. When the funfair and gypsies return for the next season, I'll be paying close attention to the atmosphere, to see if those exact same conditions can be re-created.On the day I visited is was really sunny and the large windows magnified the heat, it was so uncomfortable to walk around as it was stuffy and unpleasant, people were just sweating. The place smelt like an old stuffy library.
I will pass on your suggestion and find out if it's ever been attempted before.I would block up all of the windows in the main room, using very cheap spot lights focus the light into displays which grabs your attention.
I know how you feel, Gaz! I have exactly the same problem, but unfortunately we are in a minority. What you desire is:I would also arrange the room so as to tell a story from the building of the Palace the the fire. Some items I was looking at I didn't know what or where they were in relation to the park.
1) Overview
2) Chronology
3) Context
What works best for 90% of museums, publications, documentaries et al--especially the Crystal Palace--with regards to today's society and education, is:
-Themes
This method of presentation is what's favoured by the masses, and apart from separate rooms for Hyde Park and Sydenham with the first Sydenham panel devoted the history of Penge, is the method used by The Crystal Palace Museum. Likewise, if you needed a book about the Roman Empire or Ancient Egypt then you are spoilt for choice, but if you need a book specifically presented with an overview then you are forced to take:
i) Chronicle Of The Roman Republic
ii) Chronicle Of The Roman Emperors
iii) Chronicle Of The Pharaohs
Honestly, Gaz, I really understand where you are coming from, and you have my sympathy, mate. The Crystal Palace is one of the most complicated subjects out there with no adequate books available to meet our criteria. I could perhaps go out of my way to knock up a quick guide book for you, based on the workings of Tulse Hill Terry, which I hope he has in preparation for a complete and comprehensive book on the subject. Unless the museum could come up with the funding to pay Terry to complete his research and publication, which I seriously doubt because they are a charity with no grants*, we are forced to continue learning by way of themes.
Well, the petty cash could be used to purchase some incense sticks. It's probably been discussed before in a trustees meeting. I would vote against the idea because smoke is bad whatever form it comes in.How much does is cost to make a room smell a little pleasant......
I think the TV is purposely that size, so as to not distract visitors from the main attraction in the form of panels and cabinets containing pictures and artefacts. The British Museum doesn't have any TVs or anything in the sections I browsed. There wasn't even a model of where a Sumerian might have lived in 6000 BC. Everything was presented with just pure artefacts. At the Museum Of London, things are better, and they have a 30 second presentation about geology and pre-history--hardly worth investing in a good TV though. Documentaries can be acquired for the home anyhow. The main thing you ought to be paying attention to is the models of the bathhouse, forum, temple and basilica of Flavian London.A tiny TV in the corner showed a video of the Fire, I am sure they could do better that that. It was like a portable looked very cheap and tacky.
From my experience, including feedback from visitors, I get the impression people really do appreciate the efforts that have gone into creating the tidy and informative displays at the Crystal Palace Museum, thanks to Ken and his wife, Ann. Most people do donate and there has never been any negative feedback--at least not in regards to the quality of the displays or atmosphere.There is so much more that could be done, and in my experience if people see some effort to create nice displays, then people are more likely to donate.
The only problem I've personally identified with the museum is the lack of communication coming from certain visitors. Some adults can be frightened to ask a question about the palace that may be bottled up inside, yet the staff are so friendly and approachable. Children are always great, on the other hand, and often come up with some very intelligent questions that often stump the adults. I think the museum could be improved by having a large red banner with contrasted writing that states (in capitals): "ASK QUESTIONS...DEMAND ANSWERS"! However, no doubt this problem has more to do with the all-round lack of interest in history in general, as well as, statistically, the average attention span of an adult.
Thank you, Gaz, for communicating your ideas across and sharing your opinions. I would encourage others to do the same, and even talk in person to the Curator themselves. Ken is usually available at the museum on Saturdays. Please visit the website for more information about opening hours etc:It's a great building good location, but come on it needs updating inside...
http://www.crystalpalacemuseum.org.uk/
*Staff who work at the museum are volunteers and do not get paid. They are simply there because of their love & passion for the Crystal Palace (1851-1936; RIP).
Matt wrote 'I am not sure if you ar responsible for the shop front in the Triangle outlining the proposals for rebuilding the Crystal Palace but I do find it worryinly one sided and gives unfair/untrue depiction of masterplan.'
With regard to the exhibition in the Triangle re plans for Crystal Palace Park. I really can't understand why they weren't more objective about the LDA's masterplan.
The consultation has only taken five years
The consultation has only cost traxpayers £5mill
The masterplan is unimaginative and uninspiring
The world famous site of the Crystal Palace will be planted with trees (yippee)
They have no money to fund their masterplan (unless they sell most of the park for housing)
They don't know who they will give the park to when they finally leave.
Sounds fine to me. I do hope it doesn't get held up by a £265mill privately funded scheme that will bring back one of the most iconic buildings ever built bringing economic prosperity to the surrounding areas, providing a landmark building for South London and ongoing funding for our park.
With regard to the exhibition in the Triangle re plans for Crystal Palace Park. I really can't understand why they weren't more objective about the LDA's masterplan.
The consultation has only taken five years
The consultation has only cost traxpayers £5mill
The masterplan is unimaginative and uninspiring
The world famous site of the Crystal Palace will be planted with trees (yippee)
They have no money to fund their masterplan (unless they sell most of the park for housing)
They don't know who they will give the park to when they finally leave.
Sounds fine to me. I do hope it doesn't get held up by a £265mill privately funded scheme that will bring back one of the most iconic buildings ever built bringing economic prosperity to the surrounding areas, providing a landmark building for South London and ongoing funding for our park.
Just to clarify this for everyone, as this is very miss-leading.Juwlz wrote:I just looked at the 'rebuild Crystal Palace' site. These people are seriously against the planting of TREES!?!
I'm sorry, but that just sums it up for me. They are against the planting of trees! In a PARK!
If they must build it can't they find some kind of unloved industrial wasteland to build it instead?
They are not against the planting of trees as in 'they don't like trees anywhere, all trees are evil (said with slightly sarcastic tone
hehehe. They are against the idea (proposed by the LDA) of trees marking out the footprint of the palace, which means that unless you see the site from a hot air balloons all reference to where the palace was will be lost. It also means that the palace will never ever be built, that is it. Gone, forever.
At the very least the building that gave the are it's name, that influenced countless other buildings (even a homebase it seems) should be recognized and celebrated. We all seem to agree on this and it seems the small erection (yes, har de har) of one corner of the palace has met with widespread approval (please correct me if i am wrong).
I love trees. But I don't think the LDA proposal to mark out the footprint of the palace in this way is right. There are plenty of places to plant trees in the park, and as we know freshly planted trees use up more co2.
This is obviously a very heated, passionate debate and at the very least it shows that some people around here deeply care (one way or the other) about the area.
We all probably agree on is that it does need saving and it does need funding somehow. How is obviously a debate that will continue.
It would have been worth, even if you are dead set against the idea of rebuilding the palace, to at least go to the exhibition to make up your own mind and get the actual facts. At the very least there was a lot of interesting information on what was one of the most impressive buildings ever built in the Victorian age.