Explore Your Archive Campaign 2014
Following the
success of last year’s inaugural campaign, Explore Your Archive is back for
2014 with even more local, university, business, specialist and national
archives taking part during the week of 10-16 November 2014. Archives and museums are opening their vaults and inviting
the public to experience, understand and take pride in the wealth and variety
of material they hold. The campaign will be officially launched by Archives and Records Association, Ireland at an event in the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Dublin, on Wednesday 12 November
at 6:30 p.m.
As part of the launch, many archives across Ireland
are encouraging the public to visit their services to begin their own journey
of discovery and explore their unique collections. Among the participating services is the Royal College of Physicians Heritage Centre, whose project archivist, Fergus Brady, is coordinating the campaign for the Archives and Records Association, Ireland.
As part of the promotional campaign, RCPI Heritage Centre has designed an interactive timeline regarding the design and construction of its beautiful 150-year old historic home, which celebrated 150 years at 6 Kildare Street, Dublin, this year. The timeline includes curios, documents, architectural drawings and portraits relating about the planning, design and construction of the building, which opened in 1864, to show people the kinds of
things they can discover in the archive. You can view this timeline on the Learn About Archives website or its full interactive version here.
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| An image from the '150th Anniversary of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland building' timeline |
Some of the events and activities happening in other archives services include:
A drop in session run by Derry City Council Archive and Genealogy
Service at the Tower Museum, Derry, on Thursday to Saturday 13-15 November.
Staff will be available from 10-12 and 2-4pm to answer any queries you may have
and to also profile some of the archive collections that are available for the
public.
A ‘Letters from the Great War’ exhibition
in Dublin City Library and Archive, drawn
from the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association Archive.
Talks in the Irish Jesuit Archive to community groups, schools, and association in the Dublin City area on the topic of ‘Irish Jesuit Chaplains in the First World War.
Hazel Menton, Chairperson of the Archives and Records
Association, Ireland, says: “Visiting an
archive can take you on an adventure – you may end up discovering much more
than you imagined. Archives
are full of fascinating content to read, touch and explore. And it isn’t
available from Google. Take time to explore archives – whether you’re
interested in fashion, sport, food or UFOs, there will be something to inspire
you in archives.”
www.learnaboutarchives.ie includes more details of events and
activities being held across Ireland, and features an archive locator with an
interactive map and a live twitter feed promoting Explore Your Archive
activities.