Monday 18 October 2010

Salford Museum and Blackpool Illuminations

We had a couple of trips out this past week, on days where the sun peeked through the October sky, we went to the illuminations, there are new ones this year and of course all the old favourites, we always walk through them but the fumes from all the cars and coaches going slow was terrible this time, maybe because it was cold or maybe because I'm more sensitive to pollution, who knows but the children enjoyed it greatly, I loved the Indian tableaux, video screen and music playing, it was great, the boys didn't let me dance though - far too embarrassing now they are older.
it's funny because living in Blackpool all my life you would think I would know all about the history of them, but I didn't, it was only when my teacher moment struck and I started telling the boys all about them with the help of this site that I learnt quite a lot, like they started in 1879!

For our topic work we have been learning about the Victorians, so I discovered Salford Museum had a fully sized Victorian street all laid out with shops etc, this was a museum we have never visited surprisingly with it being quite close, well 50 mins by train, It was great and well worth a visit if your in the area, there are sounds that are played that make you feel like you are really back in the old days, the longer we stayed the more we spotted, they have dress up clothes to wear before you go in so you can play the part, the boys did not want any part of this and when I started to dress up they ran off with a warning that "I was going to get done, and to put them back", what happen to my little fun chaps, teenage years are a bit rubbish for fun!!


It isn't huge this museum, but we spent over an hour in it, it is very near to the train station and has a reasonably priced cafe inside with a play area although we didn't use either so I can't recommend them. The toilets are clean and there are curators around to answer any questions, the bonus for me though is there are worksheets, clip boards and pencils all round the different areas for the children to fill in.



My favourite shop, the haberdashery, gorgeous hats and fabrics, it was rather dark so not many photo's came out with my camera, I also loved the corner shop, I would love everything in it for my kitchen!

We have also been collecting plums from our neighbours garden, who has had tons of them leftover, we made plum jam 7 jars, froze some stewed fruit for crumbles, made plum juice which has all gone as the boys loved it so much and been eating plums with all sorts! Yummy.


1 comment:

salty pebble said...

sounds like an exciting trip x
i love the victorian shops pictured- i remember they had a dolls hospital , victorian shop in the Bethnal Green museum of childhood- i loved it there...its lovely to see the history- how things were- how things were made and what was sold ;0)x