1) You’re the Assistant Curator and SEA of the UCD Classical Museum. What does a typical week involve?
Every day starts with the same routine – check all the climate controls to ensure everything is as it should be for optimum care of the artefacts. Once that’s done, each day takes off at its own tangent as there is always something going on. The museum is in the heart of the School of Classics and any given week could see the museum provide a venue for undergraduate or postgraduate seminars, student society events, concerts, open days or host visiting researchers. We are also open every weekday to the general public and visitor numbers are going up and up.
The museum is true to its origins as a teaching museum so visitor engagement and educational outreach are a big part of my role. I have a lot of interaction with students of the School of Classics as well as other disciplines, amongst them Archaeology, History of Art, Creative Writing, Architecture and Music.
The museum runs a transition year work experience programme which gives secondary school students the chance to get practical experience working in a museum. I give them training in Museum Collection Care, Cataloguing, Digital Preservation, the Educational Programme, Outreach, Visitor Engagement, and so on. I also involve them in the museum’s social media output but that’s where they train me as they are always bang up to the minute on all the latest trends. I’m always delighted to provide visitors with an impromptu tour of the collection. And designing educational material which will appeal to whoever crosses our threshold is great fun.
I am currently conducting a complete re-inventory of the collection. Once done, everything will go on our new collections management system (CMS) which will give the collection greater visibility online.
2) What events and projects have you enjoyed being involved with? What do you have on the cards?
We recently held a festival called Muses@UCD funded by the Night Time Economy Unit of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. The festival presented six concerts which each represented an aspect of the arts. We had music recitals, art workshops, storytelling performances and poetry readings by some of Ireland’s most renowned writers, all held in the atmospheric setting of the museum after dark. The lead up to the festival was very intense involving everything from fixing dates for each event (easier said than done), designing brochures, promoting the events, managing ticket distribution and even putting out chairs on the night. Happily it culminated in a wonderful series of events which brought a whole new audience to the museum.
We also held a Family Fun Day a few weeks ago which saw an invading army of children take over the museum. It was wonderful to hear their laughter as they hunted mythological monsters and followed archaeological treasure trails. For me, the most memorable moment came when a very shy 5-year-old earnestly whispered to me that she had a very strong interest in ancient Greek geometric pottery! Her mum sounded so worried as she asked me what her daughter had said to make me look so shocked… I still laugh when I think of it!
I’m also really excited about an oral history project that I’m working on which is focused on the museum itself. Provenance is a huge issue for all museums but so much information is vulnerable to loss as it resides in people’s memories. Capturing these stories for posterity is going to be a really significant project. When complete, it will be included in the museum’s archive for future generations. Already wonderful tales of the artefacts' modern adventures are emerging … watch this space!
3) How did your love of classical art develop?
My family all love history and art so there were always lots of fascinating books around the house with beautiful illustrations that I spent hours gazing at. The pivotal moment came when my parents went on holiday to Egypt and brought me back a little painted wooden sarcophagus which opened to reveal a mummy. I was hooked!
I ended up studying History of Art and Greek and Roman Civilisation at college. I continued my studies with an MA in Classics and a PGDip in Museum Studies. Jobs in the cultural sector were very scarce, so I worked in administration in the private sector and got my cultural fix volunteering with national museums and art galleries. I got a job as a guide in the National Gallery which I did in tandem with my ‘real’ job. Luckily, I worked just around the corner from the gallery – I even gave tours during my lunch hour as well as after work and weekends!
I attended every museum CPD (continuing professional development) event I could, and the years in the private sector gave me many essential transferable skills. It was all worth it in the end – I was over the moon when I got my position in the UCD Classical Museum. For me, it really was better than winning the lotto. It makes such a difference to love what you do and to be surrounded by others who share your interests. My desk is literally three feet from a 2nd century AD sarcophagus – no wonder I love coming into work!
4) What do people seem to gain when they visit the museum as part of their studies?
The initial reaction from students entering the museum for the first time is nearly always “Wow, I can’t believe this museum is here on campus!” They’re right to be taken aback. The museum is a wonderful teaching tool. Just being able to get close to the items from the ancient Mediterranean seems to ignite such enthusiasm within the students for the civilizations they are studying. It makes that world feel real and knowledge about it attainable. You can really see things clicking in for the students and know that that experience is going to stay with them. Our founder, Prof. Henry Browne set up the museum in around 1910 with precisely that intention. Job well done!
5) There are changes afoot at the museum – what’s going to happen?
The building that the museum is in is 50 years old now and it’s time for a renovation. The whole collection is going to be packed up and put safely in storage for the duration of the works. For some items, like the sarcophagus, this means moving for the first time in half a century. It is an exciting and daunting time for everyone involved… Daunting because it’s a huge logistical challenge. There will be a lot of nail biting until each and every artefact is safely ensconced in its temporary refuge.
Exciting opportunities arise from the refurbishment which offers the chance to redesign the museum with the highest international museum standards in mind. There will be a lot of thought around collections care, access and outreach. It will be sad to see the old museum go but it will live on in the metaverse. The museum is going to be scanned for posterity and an interactive virtual copy of the old museum design will be created - that presents so many fascinating exhibition possibilities. It’s sure to be a great complement to the museum.
6) Who’s your favourite ancient Greek?
I would have to say Nike, not so much for the goddess herself but rather for the way she has inspired artists. There are so many wonderful depictions of the Goddess of Victory. The prize for most spectacular must surely go to the Winged Victory of Samothrace in the Louvre. This sculpture is so widely reproduced and familiar that it would seem impossible to be surprised by it. However, nothing can quite prepare you for seeing it in reality, it took my breath away. It's simply stunning. The enormous figure hewn from marble appears to float on a breeze.
UCD Classical Museum has several lovely depictions of Nike dating to 3rd-4th century BC. Perhaps the loveliest, is a red figure bell krater (UCD 197) which shows the winged goddess leading a pure white bull in procession. Panoply made two great vase animations of it a few years ago which can be viewed at https://www.panoply.org.uk/nike. This krater is on permanent display in the museum and is always a favourite with visitors.
Many thanks to Sasha for these insights into the busy and varied life of an Assistant Curator.
If you’d like to visit the UCD Classical Museum, head to Room K216 of the John Henry Newman Building, University College Dublin, Belfield Campus, Dublin. Entry is free.
Mon, Wed, Fri: 9.30am-12.30pm.
Tues, Thurs: 2.30pm-4.30p.m.
Or by appointment.
We'll bring you news when the renovation is complete and a re-visit is in order!
If you’d like to see more about the projects Panoply have done with the UCD Classical Museum, take a look at previous blog posts: Adventures at The University College Dublin Classical Museum, and Animation Launch for ‘Bad Karma’, and the UCD aniamtions' page on the Panoply website: https://www.panoply.org.uk/nike.
Above, a brief history of the UCD Classical Museum and its mission to teach classical antiquity via material culture.
Above, a video of the UCD Classical Museum, with bonus contemporary artworks by Dorothy Cross, Michelle Doyle, Aleana Egan, Patrick Hough, Richard Proffitt, Charlotte Weise.
Curated by Pádraic E. Moore and Museum Curator Dr Jo Day.
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