New Exhibition - 1914: When the World Changed Forever.
Part of a £1.7 million development at York Castle Museum, opens June 2014
The terror of total war and its revolutionary impact on life around the world will be the focus of a major exhibition on the First World War at York Castle Museum next year. 1914: When the World Changed Forever will take visitors from the recruitment office to the horrors of the frontline - from the cultural revolution happening at home to the thousands of men defending countries they had never stepped foot in.
New technology will be combined with the museum’s extensive military, costume and social history collections, including many fascinating objects which have not been on public display before.
The exhibition is the central part of a £1.7 million project at the museum, with the majority of the funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
It is planned to open on June 28 – 100 years to the day that Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, which then sparked a chain of events which led to the outbreak of war.
Andrew Morrison, head curator at York Museums Trust*, said: “The First World War changed nearly every aspect of life in Britain and it revolutionised life around the world. It was the first global war and touched the lives of those far from the front lines of battle as people back home were forced to adapt their lives to help their country or the Empire they were part of. By the time it was over eight million people had died. The war’s legacy created new opportunities as well as threats and the world map changed forever as new countries were born while empires crumbled.
“Through our fantastic collections and significant investment by HLF, we hope this major exhibition will not just be a commemoration of the war, but a more rounded and reflective look at how culture and society’s values were revolutionised.”
The exhibition will take place in a newly created suite of exhibition spaces on the first floor of the museum. It will start by setting the scene in the Belle Époque, or golden age of peace and prosperity prior to the First World War. The complex pacts between European countries and their empires will be explained and how these treaties would eventually be the reason why so much of the world was brought into the war so fast.
Visitors will then head to the recruitment office to sign up for war, as thousands of men did around the world. They can have their height, weight and eyesight checked, try on uniforms or even try the fitness test. They will then be assigned to their regiment, get their posting and head off into the unknown, sitting in a replica train carriage taking them to the front.
Once there they will get a feel for life in the trenches and the horrors which waited for the new recruits – from rats to foot rot, shell shock to gas warfare.
The rest of the exhibition will work its way through the major events of the war such as the Battle of the Somme, Gallipoli and the big push to finally break through the stalemate and end the war.
Themes include the animals of war, communications, tank warfare and medical techniques. The idea of it being global conflict will be key, with soldiers from Japan, China, Cuba, India, Russia, Canada and America fighting against Germany, Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria.
Finally the exhibition will look at the legacy of the war and its impact on society, culture and politics.
The exhibition has been made possible thanks to a £1,167,900 from HLF, with the rest of the project money coming from York Museums Trust funds. The rest of the project will see the creation of four bookable community learning rooms for activities on the second floor, as well as spaces for curators and volunteers. Both floors will be accessible by the new lift.
The grant will also be used to deliver a four-year long programme of activities to accompany the exhibition and engage a range of audiences. It is hoped that by the end of the exhibition in 2019 more than 500 new volunteers will have taken the opportunity to engage with the project.
ENDS
Notes to editors
*York Museums Trust manages the York Castle Museum, the Yorkshire Museum, York Art Gallery and York St Mary’s.
For more information on objects in the exhibition please request the 1914: When the World Changed Forever – Object highlights release.
More information about 1914: When the World Changed Forever will be released shortly. www.yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk
About the Heritage Lottery Fund
Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) aims to make a lasting difference for heritage, people and communities across the UK and help build a resilient heritage economy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported almost 35,000 projects with more than £5.5bn across the UK. www.hlf.org.uk.
First World War: then and now
HLF has just launched a £6million small grants programme to help communities mark the Centenary of the First World War and is making at least £1million available per year for six years until 2019. It will provide grants between £3,000 and £10,000 enabling communities and groups right across the UK to explore, conserve and share their First World War heritage and deepen their understanding of the impact of the conflict. If a group have a project idea to mark the Centenary of the First World War, an online application pack is available http://www.hlf.org.uk/ThenAndNow.
For further information, contact Lee Clark, Communications Manager, York Museums Trust, telephone 01904 687673 or email lee.clark@ymt.org.uk
For further information, contact Lee Clark, communications manager at York Museums Trust, telephone 01904 687673 or email lee.clark@ymt.org.uk