The new museum is above the RGLI Regimental
Museum which opened in 2009 and is in very much
the same style with dark rooms in which there are
lighted cabinets containing exhibits and information
about them, several of them in tableau form. On
entering the museum the first display illustrates
the reason for the original formation of a Militia
as it depicts one of many French attempts to take
the Channel Islands from the English crown. Visitors
can press button highlighting particular parts of
the tableau and giving further information about
them. Below some of them are drawers, containing
medals and other items, which visitors can open
and view. Life-size historical figure models feature
among the displays which also include videos and
a database of all the Museum's photographs from
its Militia Archive. I did not get an opportunity
to use the interactive computer which is another
feature of the new museum on this visit as it was
very busy but hope to do so in future. After the
opening ceremony and a quick visit to the new museum
guests were invited to watch the firing of the noon
day gun, and this was followed by a reception in
the Amherst Room.
(photograph by Mark Bougourd)
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The newly refurbished
Royal Guernsey Militia Museum in Castle Cornet was
opened on the 24th May, 2011 by the new Lieutenant
Governor, Air Marshal Peter Walker CB, CBE. Mark Bougourd
and I were lucky enough to be invited to the opening
ceremony.
We were greeted on arrival by the sight of two sentries
posted outside the museum entrance. One was Guernsey
History in Action Group member Brian Garner who was
in Militia uniform, the other was our own Russell
Doherty in the uniform of a member of the Royal Guernsey
Light Infantry (RGLI). The Lieutenant Governor made
a short speech, before using a medieval sword to cut
the red satin ribbon that had been tied across the
museum's doorway. There were also speeches from Culture
and Leisure minister Mike O'Hara and Director of Museum
Services Jason Monaghan.
The new museum is on the same site as the previous
Militia Museum, in what was originally the castle's
hospital building, and contains many of the original
exhibits but the interior has been completely refurbished.
The aim is to tell the story of the Militia from
its formation in the 14th century to its disbandment
in the 20th century. Over the last three years it
has been closed to the public while the museum service
staff led by Matt Harvey carried out detailed research
and designed the new display areas. They were also
responsible for cleaning and conserving the items
on display.
Air Marshal Peter Walker with Brian Garner outside
the new museum
All in all it was a pleasantly informal
ceremony on a beautiful day which allowed us not
only to have a first look at the new museum but
also to see the castle at its best.
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