Blog

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

Schools invited to add Bristol Pound ‘fish’ to public art installation

by Bristol printmaker Mary Collett “When the last tree has been cut down, the last fish caught, the last river poisoned, only then will we realise that we cannot eat money.” — Native American saying These words are the inspiration behind a new art p…

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

The story of Saint Blaise

by Kate Iles, curator of archaeology The Blaise Estate is named after Saint Blaise and today (3 February) is his feast day. Saint Blaise was the Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia (modern Turkey) around 1,700 years ago. There are many versions of his life but…

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

Next steps in our repatriation journeys…

by Lisa Graves, curator of World Cultures Updated April 2023. The good news is we have been able to return the Cree coat to Canada. We first told you about this in early 2020 but on 13 October 2021 it finally left Bristol on its journey home. Read more…

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

Ho ho ho! Could you add to our Christmas collections?

by Amber Druce, curator of history Happy Christmas! Did you know… one of the most popular carols was first sung in Bristol, at the New Room in Broadmead? Hark! the Herald Angels Sing was written by Charles Wesley and published in 1739. Between…

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

Funding for creative projects and events

by Lizzie How, Arts Development Officer The Cultural Investment Programme is how Bristol City Council distributes public money to support arts and culture across the city. Our grants help support a wide range of organisations and activities; from larg…

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

Have you seen the TARDIS?

by Mary Milton – Archive Assistant at Bristol Archives If you noticed the TARDIS on the streets of Bristol this autumn you might not have been that surprised. The Doctor Who series is filmed in Cardiff and locations across the west feature in the rec…

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

‘That Zealous Naturalist Mr Miller’

by Deborah Hutchinson, curator of natural sciences 2021 is the bicentenary of the publication of ‘A Natural History of the Crinoidea or Lily-shaped Animals’ by J. S. Miller (born Müller, 1779-1830). Miller was the first curator of the museum of the Bris…

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

New maritime records at Bristol Archives

by Allie Dillon, City Archivist Bristol Archives recently obtained historic papers relating to Bristol merchants and shipping (ref. 46588). We bought it at auction, thanks to grants from the Friends of Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives, and the …

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

Black Bristolians – evidence in the archives

by Allie Dillon, City Archivist For some years, researchers have gathered evidence of Bristol’s historic black population. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, staff at Bristol Archives spent time bringing all this research together. The result is a new resou…

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

New for old: New art commissions respond to world cultures collection

by Lisa Graves, World Cultures and Archaeology Curator In the 1960s museums across the UK put together collections of objects that were sent into schools to ‘inspire’ and ‘educate’. Derbyshire Museums school loan service bought material from local d…