Object of the month

Get closer to our collections with a special insight each month into one of our artefacts or works of art.

Miniature Chinese Shoes
These miniature Chinese shoes, made from canvas, silk and embroidered satin, date from pre-1934 and are just two of the many hundreds of items donated to our collections by the intrepid explorer, Gertrude Benham.

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20th century vintage travel posters
We successfully acquired four vintage travel posters at auction in late September 2008.

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'Plymouth from Mutley' by Ambrose Bowden Johns (1776 to 1858)
Ever wondered what Mutley Plain, with its abundance of charity shops, convenience stores and watering holes, looked like in the 1800s? Well, our latest acquisition Plymouth from Mutley reveals quite an unusual angle of the city.

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Swan Skeleton
If you have not been into the Museum for a while you can be sure of a big surprise! Our entrance foyer is now home to a flock of flying bird skeletons, the most amazing of which is the stunning swan.

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Hippo Baby (glass sculpture) by Carole Rolfe
Produced by Carole Rolfe, Hippo Baby is a fun, decorative and practical item which is currently on display in one of the Museum’s balcony cases. Despite its more sculptural form and appearance this piece can be turned upside down and used as a bowl.

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Eighteenth century Salix alba herbarium sheet
The willow branch inside this herbarium sheet is celebrating its 214th year this month and is one example of many herbarium specimens that are held in the natural history department.

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Napoleonic bone model guillotine
Richly carved and coloured, this model was carved by prisoners of war in the late 18th/early 19th century. It was originally designed to work - the victim loses his head when the sharp bone blade falls.

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Byway in Plymouth
One of the newest acquisitions to the city’s art collection is this oil painting by Reginald Brill (1902 to 1974) entitled ‘Byway in Plymouth’.

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Bronze age gold ingot
The five centimetre-long cast gold ingot is believed to date from the late Bronze Age (1150 to 750 BC). It was discovered in Wembury - part of the Museum’s archaeological collecting area - by a member of a local metal detectors’ society.

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Elizabethan tester bed
By the time Elizabeth I came to the throne all but the very poorest were sleeping on some form of bed.

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Moorcroft orchid bowl
One of the Museum’s newest acquisitions, the Moorcroft ‘Orchid’ Bowl’ was purchased with the assistance of £360 from the MLA and V&A Purchase Grant Fund.

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Scott's skis
Captain Robert Falcon Scott, the Antarctic explorer is one of Plymouth’s most celebrated citizens and the museum is fortunate to hold several items relating to his life, including a set of skis.

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Abuja umbrella
This stunning umbrella which is currently on show in our ‘Human Cargo’ exhibition has an interesting past.

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Elizabethan house tudor kitchen
This month’s object is actually a collection of objects which have recently been brought together to re-establish a 17th century kitchen within the Elizabethan House at 32 New Street, The Barbican.

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Ducking stool
The ducking stool, currently on display at the Merchant's House, is thought to have come into the museum collections in 1898 via the Corporation of Plymouth.

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Egyptian mummy net
This Egyptian artefact, currently on display in one of our first floor balcony cases, came to the Museum described as a necklace.

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Eddystone lighthouse salt
The Eddystone Lighthouse Salt is an outstanding example of a standing salt, measuring 19 inches and was made in 1698 by the Plymouth Goldsmith, Peter Rowe.

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Constellation, 1973 by Dame Barbara Hepworth
This carrara marble sculpture was created in Dame Barbara Hepworth’s studio in St Ives, Cornwall, where she lived from 1939 until she passed away in 1975.

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'English Junk' and 'Three Graces' by Lisa Cheung
'English Junk' and 'Three Graces' are recent acquisitions by the Museum thanks to grant funding from the V&A Purchase Grant Fund - a scheme that enables museums, archives and specialist libraries to develop their permanent collections.

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'Plymouth, from Mount Edgcumbe' by JMW Turner
This newly acquired painting by JMW Turner is a watercolour dating from 1814 showing a view of Devonport Docks and the Hamoaze from Mount Edgcumbe.

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Longcase high tide clock
This clock, which is currently on display in the foyer of the main Museum and Art Gallery was for telling the time of high tide at Plym Dock, now known as Devonport.

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Post-Medieval silver-gilt dress hook
This newly acquired addition to our Treasure collection dates from the 16th Century and was found by metal detectorist, Graham Fisher at Ugborough in December 2004.

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