Connecting Audiences with Maritime Archaeology Great to be here Title Refer to other talks Anniversary of raising 35years 10 million visitors Building Steve White – Evoking something maritime but being modern Right next to HMS Victory Standout but fit in WHO? Christopher Dobbs Valparaiso, Chile 19 October 2017 c.dobbs@maryrose.org @MaryRoseMuseum

Battle of The Solent – 19 July 1545 History 1509-1547 1511-1545 Battle of The Solent – 19 July 1545

To connect audiences with maritime archaeology in the 21st century, we have to do it in a way relevant to that audience

Just a book on a wall? – No To connect audiences with maritime archaeology in the 21st century, we have to do it in a way relevant to that audience 4

Just showcases? - No To connect audiences with maritime archaeology in the 21st century, we have to do it in a way relevant to that audience 5

We wanted to present Maritime Archaeology in a relevant way People are interested in people They objects can help us to tell stories Illustrate life at all levels of society There is something to interest everyone The Mary Rose objects are intensely personal The objects The ship The people 6

Archaeology - the context of the artefacts is key: So one of the concepts is to display the hull opposite thousands of the objects

Archaeology - the context of the artefacts is key: So one of the concepts is to display the hull opposite thousands of the objects

Archaeology - the context of the artefacts is key:

Interpreting the Mary Rose for a 21st-century audience Using personal items

Interpreting the Mary Rose for a 21st-century audience This museum is dedicated to those who lost their lives when the Mary Rose sank on 19th July 1545 Here you will see their possessions and some of their remains Telling stories The museum is about real people It’s not about a ship MB Matthew – A ship is not enough CD – It;’s not about a ship

Interpreting the Mary Rose for a 21st century audience – Using film to put life back in the ship

Interpreting the Mary Rose for a 21st century audience – Using film to put life back in the ship Authenticity Integrity Sensitivity

VR / 3D CGI or the real thing in 3D? Competing with computer games, Hollywood, Disney etc –they have more resources A U.S.P. of museums is that we have the real thing – so why promote VR?? VR can be done in people’s homes or by competitors Quite often it is an individual not a group experience Conversely as we can’t really tour our real items - should we tour a virtual museum?

Real Vs Replica? We have a way of distinguishing between the two: we use frosted Perspex to denote modern bits

Real Vs Replica? We decided not to rebuild the ship with modern stuff We don’t mix real and replica

Interpreting the Mary Rose for a 21st century audience – Giving access Appealing to different senses Hearing Touch Smell Hearing Touch Smell Balance

Information points Drill down like Simon Stephens

Some quotes from Trip Advisor …  “Absolutely breath-taking mind-blowing exhibition of the ship and its contents…”  "This is by far the best museum I have ever been in." "This has to be one of the best museums in the world." “There has been so much thought, love and attention put into this attraction!” Trip Advisor score October 2017: 4.95 (= 99%)

Connecting Audiences with Maritime Archaeology c.dobbs@maryrose.org

Connecting Audiences with Maritime Archaeology Great to be here Title Refer to other talks Anniversary of raising 35years 10 million visitors Building Steve White – Evoking something maritime but being modern Right next to HMS Victory Standout but fit in WHO? Christopher Dobbs Valparaiso, Chile 19 October 2017 c.dobbs@maryrose.org @MaryRoseMuseum

Interpreting the Mary Rose for a 21st century audience – Giving access Showing the real thing Using personal items Telling personal stories Using different media Appealing to different senses Giving Access: Physically Intellectually

Interpreting the Mary Rose for a 21st century audience – Giving access Physically and Intellectually Aiming for a comparable visit – not identical Considering visitors with differing abilities Different levels of intellectual capacity Visitors from different countries / cultures

Sir Francis Drake “O Lord God, when thou givest to thy servant to endeavour any great matter, grant us also to know that it is not the beginning, but the continuing of the same unto the end, until it be thoroughly finished, which yieldeth the true glory.”

Geoff Hunt painting

Helping the local economy Visitor type % Number Spend per head (£) * Total spend (£) Day Visitors (from home) 52 207,079 23 4,833,000 Day Visitors (on holiday) 27 107,522 38 4,139,000 Staying Visitors 21 83,628 148 12,376,000 Total 100% 398,228 - £21,348,000 Over £21 million per year is spent locally by visitors US $32 million per year * Data from Tourism Southeast

Mary Rose Trust Objectives (1979) To find … record … excavate … raise … bring ashore … publish … report on … preserve and ... display for all time in Portsmouth the Mary Rose … all for the education and benefit of the nation

The French Armada of July 1545

Mary Rose Trust Objectives (1979) To find … record … excavate … raise … bring ashore … publish … report on … preserve and ... display for all time in Portsmouth the Mary Rose … all for the education and benefit of the nation

34 years! Raised 1982 Final Museum opening 2016

Notes for Megan Obviously very unfinished Ends at slide 25 Some of the bits in large type are notes for me Yucky lilac slide or pics are ones I used in HK so I want to change Black slides are videos that probably won’t load for you now Blue slides with just a title are the areas I am working on what my point is and thinking of what images to use to re-enforce the point

And … archaeology needs to be at the heart of the interpretation Between 1979 and 1982 - Over 28,000 dives Over 500 divers 29,000 registered finds

Archaeology - the context of the artefacts is key: