Many of the 19th and 20th century banners in People’s History Museum’s collection are made in silk – some of the most famous are currently on display including the Workers Union, Holloway Branch banner (1920s) and Ancient Order of Foresters, Stockport Court (1850s), which you can see on Main Gallery Two.
In this hands-on session you are invited to join Conservation Officer Beth Gillions as she takes you behind the scenes and into the Conservation Studio, where the specialist work to care for the museum’s collection of over 60,000 objects, including the world’s largest collection of political and trade union banners, takes place.
In this special Family Friendly workshop for Heritage Open Days Beth will take participants through the life cycle of the silk moth, from raw silk to the woven cloth that banners were once traditionally made of. The microscopes will be out and there will be the chance to have a go at identifying different fibres and discover why the choice of materials is so important in conservation.
Suitable for ages 5+
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