Market Place - Abingdon on Thames Town Council

Great War Propaganda

A collection of wartime conscription and propaganda posters portrays a unique and insightful view of the Great War. Exploring the detail within the text and imagery of these documents, visitors will discover a number of underlying stories and social attitudes that create a picture of life both on the front lines and at home in Britain during the conflict of 1914-1918.

Time: 10am-4pm Tuesday – Sunday / Admission: Free

Located in the Sessions Gallery of Abingdon Museum, this exhibition is on the first floor, up 37 steps from the lobby, and is not wheelchair accessible.

A smaller selection from the posters collection of Abingdon museum is also on show at St. Nicolas’ church Monday to Saturday (10 am to 4.30 pm) until 23^rd December. The church is wheelchair accessible and is fully accessible to impaired mobility people.

Robert Strange squashed art, pop art, abingdon, dice, cards, games, recycling

The Squashed Collection

The colourful world of everyday items such as junk and toys is often overlooked. Artist Robert Strange – recently celebrated in Artists & Illustrators magazine – has taken a positive and creative approach to re-imagining the qualities of such items. From discarded playing cards to buttons, squashed toys and sweet wrappers, the seemingly mundane is brought to vibrant life in his series of fascinating drawings.

This exhibition combines several series of Strange’s artworks, including his new Rusty series, to illustrate the diversity and artistic possibilities in discarded waste.

Location: Sessions Gallery, Abingdon Museum
Time: 10am-4pm Tuesday – Sunday
Admission: Free
Plan your visit: This gallery is located on the museum’s first floor up 37 steps and is not lift accessible.

Aspects of Abingdon, through the eyes of artists and photographers.

Over the centuries, many artists and photographers have chosen views of Abingdon as the subject of their work. Some were local artists depicting their home, others came from further afield and took aspects of Abingdon to a wider audience. This exhibition reveals a changing and sometimes imagined townscape.

Location: Sessions Gallery, Abingdon Museum
Time: 10am-4pm Tuesday – Sunday
Admission: Free, donations gratefylly received
Plan your visit: This gallery is located on the museum’s first floor up 37 steps and is not lift accessible.

Mr Hemmings Hat and other curiosities

Celebrating 100 Years of Abingdon’s Museum Collections

2020 marks the centenary of the formation of the first museum committee. Come and find out out who began the museum and how it has developed through the years.
Why do we collect certain things and others?
What is the strangest object we have?

Location: Sessions Gallery, Abingdon Museum

Time: 10am – 4pm Tuesday – Sunday

Admission: Free

Plan your visit: This gallery is located on the museum’s first floor up 37 steps and is not lift accessible.

The Cunning Little Vixen, a special screening and talk by Geoff Dunbar

Wednesday, 1st November, 7:00pm-9:00pm

BAFTA award winning director and animator Geoff Dunbar presents a very special screening of his celebrated production for the BBC of The Cunning Little Vixen. The film is a visually stunning animated adaptation of Janacek’s opera, and follows the story of a wild vixen and her relationship with both humans and the countryside.The film was nominated for the prestigious Prix Italia and won the Golden Prague in 2004.

The evening will begin with a talk by the director Geoff Dunbar about how the film was produced, from Storyboard to Computer animation, and will reveal insights into the complex world of feature-length animation. There will be a short interval before the audience returns to see the film in its full splendour on the Amey Theatre’s large screen.

Tickets may be booked online at the link below, or from the Museum’s booking office on 01235 523703.

Tickets: £10 adults, £5 children (under 16 yrs)

Seating: unreserved seating. Doors will be open from 6.30pm

Weblink for this event

http://abingdonschool.savoysystems.co.uk/AbingdonSchool.dll/TSelectItems…

1917: The Search for Victory

Friday, 10th November, 7:00pm-9:30pm

A lecture by Gareth Howell and Rick Stevens
Special guest John Dexter

After the failure of the Somme offensive to end the war the Allies prepare to win the war in 1917. The British are ready having learnt valuable lessons from 1916 and having been reinforced with new equipment and new technology. The successes in the Battle of Arras, including Vimy Ridge give way to the sufferings of Passchendaele and a renewed hope at Cambrai. Join us for a talk by BBC historical advisor Gareth Howell and Battlefield Relic Hunter Rick Stevens for an examination of this critical year of the First World War, examining the events from a new light a hundred years on.

The talk will also include an artefacts display and a guest appearance by the distinguished Chemist John Dexter examining the life of Fritz Haber, inventor of poison gas in the First World War and a saviour of the Jewish people in the Second as we discuss morality and the people caught up in conflict.

Friday 10 November. 7-9.30pm

Tickets: £10.00 Adult / £8.00 Museum Friend / £5.00 Children (under 16)

Location:

Our Lady’s Abingdon (Main Hall)
Radley Road
Abingdon
Oxfordshire
OX14 3PS

To book: 01235 523703 / museum.bookings@abingdon.gov.uk / tickets on the door

Volunteers Wanted

The Mouse Hole Cafe, located in the basement of Abingdon County Hall and operated by Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council, are seeking a Saturday volunteer. The cafe offers a cosy and friendly space run by a small team of staff and volunteers, serving hot drinks, snacks and light lunches. The cafe promotes a community atmosphere, and the Mouse Hole Club (run by the museum’s superb volunteers) puts on regular adult craft activities.

Saturday volunteers would be required to help serve food and drinks, offer a friendly welcome and be willing to chat with customers.

If you would like to be a part of a small team and enjoy meeting new people, please contact the Museum on abingdon.museum@abingdon.gov.uk or call 01235 523703 for a volunteer application form.

Learn to Draw

Abingdon Museum welcomes artist Kate Hammersley who will be conducting a series of workshops over four weeks in April entitled Learn to Draw. The workshops will provide beginners and aspiring drawers a chance to learn essential techniques, such as creating compositions and developing textures – taking inspiration from the museum and its collections.

Details of the course may be found at https://www.abingdon.gov.uk/event/arts-culture-heritage/learn-draw with the first date Saturday 1st April.

Places are selling fast so please contact 01235 523703 to confirm your place.

Feeling inspired? The museum is open 10am-4pm Tuesday-Sunday every week, and you can also visit some of the museum’s collection online at https://ehive.com/collections/4128/abingdon-county-hall-museum from the comfort of your home.

Recycle Your Christmas Tree!

This is a reminder that as usual, now that the Christmas festivities are concluded, you can bring your Christmas tree to the Market Place be recycled into woodchip.

This annual event takes place on the Saturday after Twelfth Night and this year is scheduled for Saturday 7th January from 9am to 3pm. This service is provided by the Town Council in partnership with TVE Hire and Sales.

The woodchip produced will help to line our woodland pathways and provide compost for allotments and flowerbeds.

Take advantage of this convenient and environmentally-firendly way to say goodbye to your Christmas tree.

New Years Day – Walking of the 1556 Borough Boundaries

The Annual New Year’s Day Boundary Walk will take place on Sunday 1st January 2017. Please gather at the Market Place from 11.15am for a start at 11.30am. The walk is estimated to take around two hours. Please come prepared appropriately with warm clothing and footwear appropriate for muddy conditions! The walk is led by two of the Abingdon Guild of Town Criers – Penny Clover and Tim Hunt. Please join the walk if you want an energetic and interesting start to the New Year.