MALVERN MUSEUM has re-opened for its 2016 season.
In their latest column for the Malvern Observer, museum bosses discuss the themes for this year’s opening and why it is paying homage to Malvern’s very own punk music scene.
The choice of this year’s displays has largely been guided by the number of anniversaries that occur in 2016.
Nationally the Norman Conquest of 1066 will feature more prominently in autumn, but visitors to Malvern Museum have the opportunity to discover more about how life changed in the Malvern area after 1066 as soon as we open.
The landscape was still quite wooded and wild deer and boar roamed the forest, as did wolves.
The monks on the Malvern hillside were given the go-ahead to build their priory. The massive Norman architecture of the priory church must have amazed the villagers in their scattered settlements who had only really known timber and mud dwellings until then.
Punk rock lies at the modern end of Malvern’s heritage and has inspired a totally new display. Punk rockers 40 years ago would surely be amazed to see their memorabilia ending up in a museum case too!
Punk rock arrived from the USA in 1976 and quickly hit the scene here in Great Malvern. The Punk bands were brought to Malvern Winter Gardens by Cherry Red Productions that operated from rooms in Adelaide House on the Wells Road. Richard Jones, co-founder of Cherry Red, has kindly supplied some of the items associated with this early phase of Punk, including photos of The Jam in 1977 playing in the hall at the Winter Gardens. Malvern was already used to some of the top rock bands playing at the theatre, again brought by Cherry Red, but Punk gigs were something else. One band member commented on the startling contrast between the streets of sleepy, genteel Malvern and the Punks who trekked up the hill from the station wearing weird and wonderful clothing, footwear and hairstyles. There are some remarkable stories and reminders of this revolutionary period for visitors to browse and reminisce.
As well as Punk, visitors can discover more about Knickerbocker Glory, the fortunes of the Imperial Hotel, Dummer’s electronic circuit, the Battles of Jutland and the Somme and numerous other stories that act as signposts to our amazing heritage. QR Codes, fossil identification, a (dry) water challenge, castle building and water cure packing are all waiting to challenge you too, along with dressing up for children.
Malvern Museum reopens on Friday 25th March, and will be open daily from 10.30 to 5.00, until the end of October.
There is a small entrance fee. For more details check the museum website or pick up a new flier from the Tourist Information Centre or from Malvern Library.
