New Sign

Numbers of visitors have been down recently & we believe it to be due to the building works being carried out around the museum & the harbor in general. Other shops in the village are apparently doing well. So Graham has commissioned a sign to face outward towards the river, hopefully catching the eye of passing visitors. It seems to be helping somewhat, along with our lovely flower boxes, which are making our corner of the harbor look a little more festive. Our window display smells rather fab too. The sprigs of rosemary we put there are warming up & giving off a lovely aroma. It might help people remember the museum as well!

Chinese carving expert knowledge required

Calling all experts in Chinese carvings! Since the flood we've been working our way through the storeroom, identifying & cataloguing artifacts that have long lay in wait of some attention. We have rediscovered a Chinese carving of an idol that was donated to the museum several years ago. The owners thought it was bad luck (thanks very much) so they passed it on to us. We like to think that it helped to protect us during the flood. Is that just wishful thinking? So here's where you come in. If any of you can identify the carving could you please let us know. Is it a Chinese deity? Is it Chinese? Is it Japanese? Any information would be graciously received.

The Times likes MOW

In today's The Knowledge magazine in The Times, The Museum of Witchcraft has been put at number two of the top museums in the country. High praise indeed. Thank you Tim Teeman (he made the selection). Number one was the Black British Style exhibit at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

Spruce up

Due to the mammoth building works outside the museum (they're rebuilding the Youth Hostel, christian shop & harbour Restaurant) visitor numbers have been down as the whole place looks like a building site. If you didn't know the museum's there you'd miss it. So rather than be dejected & depressed we've decided to spruce up the front area directly outside the museum to make it more appealing & attractive. Graham has made some plant boxes, beautifully routed with a pentacle of course, and we've planted some vibrant flowers. The nasturtiums are having a field day & really enjoying the sunny location, as well as the geraniums which have added to the instant colour. We've also built up a rock planter & placed a gunnerah in there as it's very damp. All plants seem to be doing really well & the whole area is starting to look much more appealing.

On the weekend I thought it was time something was done to the window display. We've taken the flood information boards out. Don't worry they've been moved inside for people who are interested to see the pictures. I found a recipe* for cleaning copper on the internet & polished up one of Cecil Williamson's copper dishes and it is now shining away beautifully and full of fresh rosemary & bay leaves in the window. All the dried herbs have been removed & replaced with fresh ones. An altar using ritual items from the museum has been set up in place of the flood boards.

We think it's looking much better so hopefully more people will notice us & come to visit.

New Owl

Well, we'll keep trying. The lovely black cat statue which we had placed in the niche of the witch post outside the front door was recently wrenched from its home and smashed. So, on my recent visit to Crete, I bought a lovely bronze statue of an owl which Graham has firmly affixed in the space. Let's hope this one stays in place. I think it looks rather nice, don't you?