News Release
New Exhibition to Mark Museum Reopening
13 April 2006
The Bank of England Museum reopens on Tuesday 2 May after a four-month closure for redecoration.
A special exhibition, Pounds Pence & Money Boxes, will then open on 18 May 2006, which explores the history and concept of money. The exhibition will include a collection of 500 money boxes and will be free to all visitors.
Pounds, Pence & Money Boxes will touch on the history of currency, from the very first coins to paper and plastic money. Among the objects on display will be an example of one of the earliest coins in existence, Roman gold bars, 18th century paper money, produced as the emphasis changed from coinage to banknotes. Also on display will be some of the unusual artefacts which have passed for currency around the world or represented wealth or status. These include a copper alloy manilla (bracelet) from Nigeria, feather money from the Solomon Islands, and copper axe money from Mexico. In some cases these take the form of beautiful art objects in their own right.
Museum Curator, John Keyworth, said: “Money boxes are often taken for granted. But for children they are very important objects and the first and most simple method of saving money, an important habit to get into. But children are unlikely to have given much thought to money itself – what it is and why we trust its value.’ The exhibition looks at this often taken for granted aspect of money, as well as displaying a wide range of money boxes, from traditional china piggy banks that can only be opened if you smash them, to modern, collectable designs”.
Children will be encouraged to bring along their own money boxes to show to the Museum staff. If the money box is not already represented in the exhibition, they will receive a small prize.
The permanent Museum displays explain the history of the Bank, its architecture and its role at the centre of the UK’s economy today.
To complement the exhibition there will be a series of special events for children, including money box design competitions, workshops on door hanger design and creative calligraphy.
MEDIA PREVIEW
A special preview of the Pounds, Pence & Money Boxes
will be held on 12 May from 10am to 12 noon. The Curator will
be available to answer questions about the exhibition.
VISITOR INFORMATION
Pounds, Pence & Money Boxes exhibition: 18 May
– 1 November 2006.
Admission to the exhibition and the Museum is free of charge
to all visitors.
The Museum entrance is in Bartholomew Lane, just off Threadneedle
Street, London EC2R 8AH and a two-minute walk from Bank Underground
Station.
Opening hours: 10.00am – 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.
Closed Public and Bank Holidays.
For information see the Museum
pages.
For further information, pictures or interviews, please
contact Michael Barrett or Kirsten Canning on 020 8295 2424,
07813-558772, 07946-298894 or email kc@thepressoffice.uk.com
