Content hub

From a dazzling cloak to the portrait of a Curling Captain there is more to our sporting heritage than you might think. Sport is a huge part of our culture, but its place in our heritage has sometimes been overlooked. Earlier this year though we came across a brilliant network working to change that. As they lead us in celebrating National Sporting Heritage Day, their Founding Director is here to introduce their work and some amazing sporting heritage collections you can visit.

A knight swirls to victory in a skirt; a queen rules with a fist clad in iron. What we choose to wear says a lot about us, and how we want, or need, to be seen. Intricate, powerful, stories like these are connected to perhaps surprising objects in an iconic collection. The current exhibition and self-guided object trail at The Royal Armouries, Leeds, was created by volunteers and researchers who identify under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella to showcase diverse voices and hidden histories. Get a taster of their brilliant exhibition and trail with these highlights.

Come closer, these images will be worth a second look! From a smoking urn to a hallway hiding in a cupboard, turns out you definitely shouldn't believe everything you first see! Two of the National Trust's curators have seven wonderful optical illusions to share from amongst their curious collections. Enjoy!

An astounding invention made from Meccano and elastic bands. A pop-up book on the master of suspense. A stylish poster. Just three treasures you might not think to look for in the collection of our fantastic British Film Institute national archive. I was lucky enough to attend their Heritage Open Day last year, and it really is like walking in to an Aladdin’s cave. The brilliant team throw open the doors once a year, but there are so many wonders to explore – so I am handing over to their coordinator, Jo, to tell us more!

Between the covers of a book lie whole new worlds, conjured by words and beautiful illustrations. Worlds that range from the heavenly (17th century star atlas) to the mundane (13th century instruction manual). From business (introducing the shampooing surgeon!) to the deeply personal (18th century diary). Books that have been jotted in whilst on the move or beautifully designed and produced in extreme conditions. Fascinating worlds - and all can be found in a new book of books from the National Trust. Take a moment and tour them with us!

Did you know a library isn’t just for books? When I asked our organisers for stories about the history of creativity Leeds Libraries came back with these amazing posters. Turns out a peek at playbills from across the centuries gives a fascinating glimpse of past pleasures. Take a break with their senior librarian as she talks us through the designs of the times – from competitive creators to fears of a nude pantomime!

From planting seeds to real rocket science, it’s amazing what you find when you start looking! Turns out Warrington in Cheshire has some really incredible connections to Astounding Inventions that Hannah White, Collections Assistant at Warrington Museum and Art Gallery is exploring ready to share with visitors this September. Here’s just a taste of some of the stories she’s uncovered…

Those perfect stripes of green, essential to our image of tennis courts, cricket pitches or palace grounds. Only possible though because of an accidental discovery by one inventor. Something considered so outlandish at the time that he tested it in the dark to avoid laughing eyes!  Now though the lawnmower may take its place as a mechanical marvel worthy of high esteem in the history of invention. Here to tell us more, and introduce us to a stunning (and often surprising!) collection, is Brian Radam, Curator of the British Lawnmower Museum.

From chocolate worms to hair-raising gadgets and back to front furniture, a rummage amongst the collections of the National Trust doesn't always turn up what you expect! Assistant Curator, Katie Knowles is working on an exciting new book highlighting the curious inventions amongst the collection. Look out for it this autumn, but grab a cuppa and take 5 with us now for a sneak peak at some of the things she's found!

Today's post brings you a metal 'knight', sculptural skill, dazzling technology and something small but very useful. This year we’re exploring the history of innovation, so for World Health Day, I asked the excellent Thackray Museum of Medicine team to share some of the intriguing items in their collection. Read carefully though, not all of them were a good idea!

A world turned upside down and mysterious stones that may have marked the burial of a heart... Clare Kirk from Friends of Friendless Churches is back with us to share more tantalising tales, this time of curious carvings to be found inside their historic buildings.

From grand gatehouses to surprisingly splendid stables - The Landmark Trust collection is definitely not the standard offer of holiday home options! They restore historic sites to create fabulous self-catering stays and regularly open for Heritage Open Days to delight and intrigue visitors. As applications open for one of their charitable offers we thought it was about time we we learnt a little more, so here's Fiona Keyte, to tempt us with some of her favourites!

Check the cupboards and choose your weapon - will you go for a hollow glass rolling pin, a prickly baker's docker or this trim little creature?! Yes, we're talking 'batterie de cuisine' ('kitchen artillery' apparently!) As the National Trust prepares to release a new book on baking, I needed no further excuse to invite back Katie Knowles, Assistant Curator, for another rummage through their extraordinary collections. This time she serves us stories of tins, trays, and trimmers with side helpings of food history! So put the kettle on, grab the cookie jar and let's explore!

Who's the woman behind this iconic label and why might you order a drop of Foggie Moss? For these stories, and a thousand more, we're hopping across the border for this Saturday's International Whisky Day to a place with a very special collection - 3,400 unopened bottles of liquid gold. So pour yourself a wee dram and get comfy as Lucy Naughton from the Scotch Whisky Experience tells us a tale or two...

Did you know that a mysterious crocodile lurks in a corner of a museum in Caterham? Just one of nearly 10,000 curious treasures in a collection watched over by a merry crew of volunteers, who are keen to share their stories. To introduce us to her 5 (current!) favourites, here is Catherine Allen from East Surrey Museum. 

Built for summer day cruises in the the jazz age, Medway Queen showed her real metal during the Second World War, making no less than 7 trips as part of the unique Dunkirk evacuation fleet. Be ready to both laugh and cry as Richard Halton from the Medway Queen Preservation Society helps us discover her story through 8 curious items from her history.

From ‘sticks and a bit of cloth’, to a symbol of hope and stars of the silver screen - aircraft have given us wings, and changed the way we see and travel the world. Whilst we're grounded during lockdown, today's toast to the nation in recognition of the 75th anniversary of VE Day is a moment to look skywards again, reflect and remember. One man who flew during that war has left us a remarkable collection of 'boxes that fly' that continue to inspire - we spoke to Ciara Harper from The Shuttleworth Collection about their extraordinary aircraft and the stories behind them

A wooden pet, a grenade that looks like a perfume bottle and a prosthetic leg for dancing - not what immediately comes to mind when I think of things the National Trust holds in its collections. But chatting about archival treasures by the tea point one day Katie Knowles, one of the Trust's Assistant Curators gave me a new perspective. The stories are too good not to share, so of course I asked her to introduce us all to the quirky side of the Trust's collection, over to you Katie...