Take a look around

1

Because You’re Worth It? II by The Singh Twins
Location: South Hall
This stunning mixed media light box in our main entrance hall highlights the human and environmental cost of consumer demand. It’s inspired by historic composite miniature painting – a style which was once very popular in India and Persia where representations of different animals or animals and humans are combined to form a larger image. In connection with our Planet Ocean exhibition, Because You’re Worth It? II features an elephant made of brand logos and household products – a commentary on our constant demand for goods and the impact it has on the environment.

2

I Wonder Display
Location: The Box Kitchen & Bar
Our I Wonder sessions take place on Tuesday mornings during term time and give children of a preschool age a wonderful opportunity to sing, make and play. Our window display shares more information about the sessions and highlights some of the wonderful creations that recent attendees have made.

3

Porcelain Birds by Dorothy Doughty
Location: Outside the Simmons Learning Room
This beautiful case display features a selection of porcelain bird models by ceramicist Dorothy Doughty (1892-1962). She designed and made a series of models of American birds for the Worcester Porcelain Company after the Second World War and was highly regarded for her skill. We have over 200 examples of Dorothy’s bird and flower models in the collections at The Box. We believe it’s the largest grouping of her work in the UK – maybe even the world. The models we’ve selected are of birds that have all been impacted by climate change to tie in with our Planet Ocean exhibition.

4

Elliptical Reading Window Film by Abigail Reynolds
Location: Stairway at the entrance to the Active Archives gallery
In 2020, Cornwall-based artist Abigail Reynolds was commissioned by British Art Show 9 to create an artwork that would activate libraries in Plymouth, Manchester, Aberdeen and Wolverhampton – the four places the exhibition toured to. This vibrant window film has remained in situ ever since and features the hands of two of the book readers who were involved in the project.

5

Ship’s Badges
Location: Viewable from Active Archives and The Box shop
Ship’s badges were introduced by the 1850s as a cost-effective replacement for figureheads and were standardised into four shapes in the early 1900s. Our mass display on the wall next to our Explore More tables features hundreds of examples and also highlights the badges from five of Plymouth’s most important ships.

6

Climate Change Cases
Location: Active Archives gallery
These three cases regularly change and mainly use specimens from our natural history collection to share vitally important information about the climate crisis. The current displays feature wildflowers, invasive species and a striking 'Plankton Dress' on loan from Plymouth Marine Laboratory which was made by staff and students at Arts University Plymouth. The dress is inspired by coccolithophores, a type of phytoplankton (plant plankton) that play a really important role in the carbon cycle, and links really well to our Planet Ocean exhibition.

7

Bleached by Tania Kovats
Location: First Floor Balcony
This beautiful sculpture by Devon-based artist Tania Kovats connects with our Planet Ocean exhibition and is her response to the beauty of coral and its fragile position in the world’s ecosystem. Coral bleaching is a result of rising sea temperatures that leave corals looking ghostly white. Bleached brings what might seem like a faraway issue into immediate focus.

8

Plymouth Marine Life
Location: First Floor Balcony
This case contains an Atlantic cod skeleton, Bottlenose skate and Common eagle ray, along with information about the local fishing industry and a new Plymouth Sound National Marine project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Marine Biological Association, that will breed skates - one of the most threatened species in our waters. It's yet another interesting display that links with our Planet Ocean exhibition.

That's the end of our trail! Don't forget to take a look at our wall of ship's badges from the ground floor as well. You'll find it on the left once you've walked through our shop. We hope you enjoy your visit to The Box.