My Day at Southampton's SeaCity Museum & Art Gallery

Today it was the turn of my S Type to have its annual MOT and Service, so off I went to the dealership in Southampton. 

Needing to kill about 4 hours I decided to head for the Civic Centre building where both the Art Gallery and the Seacity Museum are located. 

 Walking across the park I pass the Cenotaph with its bright display of Poppy Wreaths indicating that this was where Armistice (Poppy)  Day was celebrated last weekend.

 Getting my directions right. 


I came from Bannister Road & Bedford Place and am heading for the SeaCity Museum & The City Art Gallery.

 Psalmist and Hymn Writer Isaac Watts DD did not deserve the ignominy of this seemingly almost permanent visitor.

The Seagull is so statue like that I am beginning to think  'Could it be a part of the whole statue'

 The Civic Centre is ahead with the Art Gallery and Library Entrance located behind the Fountain.

 The Famous Clock Tower Landmark indicating that I had delivered the car just over an hour ago and taken a nice walk through the city to get here.

The SeaCity Museum is located in the unusual Pavilion building. 

 The Architect enjoyed Designing and Building this one, I am sure.

I am looking forward to seeing this Exhibition today.

Said to be the origination of  the word 'POSH' or Port Out, Starboard Home, so that you were always on the cool side of the ship when travelling east. 

The Arrow points the way.

 On the way in there is this wonderful collection of fully functional Arcade Machines from times gone by. They used to cost one Old Penny a try.  The charge hers is now £0.20p a go now.

I only photographed three of them as my battery was running low.

This two player football match game costs £0.50p a go now. 

The more basic Horse Race is also fun for two players. 

There were a range of these 'Spooky' tableaux where all sorts of scary items pop up and out of the scene. The Skeleton is just visible in the Workmans Hut. 

The range of Photos shown below are taken at random as I walk around the exhibition. They only represent a proportion of those on show.

 I did not establish who the bronze statue was representing Navigation.

This excellent Aerial Photo of Southampton Docks during its prime when it was always full of Oceangoing Ships a Liners. 

In the foreground is the Ocean Terminal and the Old Docks. 

Out in the distance are the New West Docks towards where the Container Port now exists as well.

 Being the first ever Cruise Liner that we travelled on this cross section of The QE2 was excellent for reminding me of where we explored when on board.

 The beautifully sharp painting is of the QE2 traveling up Southampton Water passing the remnants of the old Queen Victoria Hospital at Netley.

The next series of snaps were taken as I watched a wonderful and poignant video of the Troops and their wives as the QE2 is leaving Southampton for the Falklands War.

I apologise that some of the photos are blurred due to the process but have included them for their interest.

The crowds at the Ocean Terminal were cheering.

The Military Wives, however, were fretful of what was to come once their loved ones arrived at the Falkland Isles.

Being interviewed by the News Team.

Waving as the Tugs drew the QE2 away from the quayside.

Out in the main channel being turned ready for the journey.

Seen from the air.

And still they waved to her as she set out and was now underway.

In true tradition, the many small boats escorted her down Southampton Water.

From the Stern can be seen the new Helicopter Deck built to cover the swimming pool

In the foreground is one of the Favourite Boats Blue Funnel Pleasure Boats.

The Bow also appears to have been partly boarded over?

QE2 Prepares for The Falklands

The Hamburg-America Line's four funnel Deutschland

A Stunning Painting of the SS Titanic 

One of the many Storyboards on display 

First World War Liners Andes, Alcantara, Faro, Almanzora and Arlanza painted to be part of the 10th Cruiser Squadron.

WW1 Dazzle Painted Camouflage

Some of the many Advertising Poster displays.

A display about the French Liner Normandie.

The Model in its case.

The Aquitania 

Aquitania was the third of a Cunard Line trio of express ocean liners before the First World War, the other two ships being Lusitania and Mauretania. 

A Jig Saw Puzzle of The Aquitainia 

A Celebrity meeting the Crew

The luxurious First Class Lounge on the Alcantara.

The MV Britannic

MV Britannic was a transatlantic ocean liner owned by White Star Line, and was the third company ship to bear the name.

The Poster featured in the Museum Advert Below

When Southampton Port was Great with its own Giant Floating Dock.

Two Boards featuring the International Mail Services and the Emigration taking place from Southampton.

Cunard's Caronia 

A Cross Section Model of RMS Lancastria

A 1948 Drawing of the Aquitainia 

The Queen Mary in Pencil.

I was quite surprised to read that Southern Railway owned Southampton Docks - This Graving or Dry Dock was massive and able to take the largest of ships for any maintenance 

 This model of the Alcantara is absolutely fabulous and is a tribute to the Model Makers involved in building her.


The view from the Stern


And from the Bow


The detail work on this deck equipment here is of outstanding quality


Perfection everywhere around the model

Another showcase of memorabilia and collectors items.

Flags and Funnel Decals of the Shipping Lines using Southampton at the time.

A Model of Union Castle Lines Windsor Castle.

A full sized Life Belt from the Pendennis Castle.

A Scale Model of the old Ocean Terminal Building.

Just one of the Deck Games played to amuse the passengers on their voyage.

Service with a Smile from one of the Stewards.

The Queen Mary being set on her way by the fleet of Tugs.

The Queen Mary making her final journey to America where she is now a Hotel

A Classic Poster of the time.

Undergoing maintenance in The Graving Dock.

A rare Car Badge 

Another of the Union Castle Liners before heading off to South Africa.

Another of the line

A selection of old Dining Menus

Examples of Tableware used by the different Shipping Lines.

A Classic On Board First Class Dining Room Scene

A More colourful array of Menus and Notices

Colourful Travel and Holiday Brochures

A Tea Towel from the Reina Del Mar

I also have a cushion that someone made from a Tea Towel from the QE2

My Cushion

The Painting features the QE2 in some exotic location

The Ship's Bell from the original Arcadia.

Artifacts from Cunard and P&O with model and section painting of the Queen Mary 2

Announcing P&O's new Liner Azura. 

A Swimming Pool on one of the Royal Caribbean Liners 

Posters and Furniture 

Featuring 'Canberra' arriving to a great welcome home.

The New Docks today showing the Rounded replacement building where the Ocean Terminal once stood.

Adabella with her Flashing Eyes and Ruby Lips.

My tour of the Museum moved on to visit the Titanic Exhibition on an upper floor.
Visitors are greeted with sounds of children and families shouting farewells to those on board. Nice but quite spooky when considering the ships eventual demise. 

On the Stairwell - Titanic 

We are first greeted by this mural listing all of the members of the Titanic's Crew with actual photos where they exist.

'These are the people who will live, work and die together on Titanic'

Six members of the crew who all came from Southampton.

Titanic leaving Southampton

A Piece of Anchor Chain shown against a lamp and its photo for scale

Leaving Port

A Plymouth Scene - not related to the exhibition

This massive wall diagram is used to indicate the areas of the ship.
The next selection of photos are close ups of small recesses within the diagram.


A Typical Single Cabin with a busy Stewardess


In the Boiler House

In one of the store rooms

A Very Basic Cabin

A New York Scene

This interactive wall has little doors to open along the side.

Artifacts owned by members of the crew.

Some of these were found when they were recovered from the sea.

The life of a Stoker on board ship. Titanic's stokers said their job was easier.

More artifacts

Captain Smith's Sword and a Hammock Cover.

A Corredor Life Sized Photo of a On Deck Scene

A Full Sized Twin Buck Cabin.

A Full Sized Model of the Boiler's Stoke Holes.

More Artifacts and Documents displayed.

This is one of the Original Court Rooms located in Southampton's Civic Centre. Using Video and Sound, the Inquest following the Disastrous Sinking was being played out.

Charles Herbert Lightoller, 2nd Officer, is being interviews here.  

There are so many items of interest to look at in these cabinets.


Anyone who has watched the Movie with Leonardo Dicaprio and Kate Winslet with know the rest of that sad tale. 

I then moved out of the Titanic Exhibition into the normal museum area.

Another unrelated display

Photos of the Olympic and model of an old Cunarder.

A Range of Items sold or made by local businesses

This Massive Model of The Queen Mary is a permanent exhibit here in the museum 

The Back Screen to the Queen Mary is covered with these many superb miniature models of other ships

More Mini Models

On of the ships used to carry British Emigrants to Australia and New Zealand.

Peeping through an ancient Porthole

A General View of the Exhibition Room

The Interactive Map of Southampton located on the Central Table 

I am now ready to leave having taken lunch in the internal Cafe and need to 'inspect the plumbing'.

I was amazed to find myself in a corridor which contained the Old Courtroom Police Cells.

I was even more surprised to find that some of the Cells had been converted into toilets.

Cell 19

Inside the Men's Room looking at the new door.

Two Cells have been joined to form the whole room. Here is the next Cell Door from the inside.

The History

One of the barred corridor doors 

Time is moving on so I now leave Sea City and head next door to the Art Gallery and Library Building.

The Gallery is up these stairs where I love the ceiling above.

The exhibition is spread over a series of rooms. I have only selected a few exhibits to photograph.

The first room I entered contained:-

The subsequent rooms seemed to contain 'Modern Art in all of its forms

Architectural Art

Interesting Textile Exhibits

More Textiles

These Composite Structures were interesting and very colourful.

Each of the Two Pieces either side of the central painting are formed of three layers of thick Perspex with the middle layer having a pattern of cut away corridors which are used to form an 'Ant Farm'.

Some Ant Farm Research

Decorating?

There were a number of pieces of Light and Sound exhibits, often seen in a Darkened room.

This Spoof Advertisement Video for a product in the Smiley Yellow Ball with its extreme characters had the feel of Alice in Wonderland.  It was very good to watch if a little odd.

Presumably the Parents?

Father?

The Daughter?

Morphing after application of 'The Product'

All Grown Up Now. 
with 'How Did I Do' on her Bib.

Leaving The Art Gallery Main Entrance

The Car would be ready soon so it was time to make my way back to the garage.

There was the seagull still sitting on its perch.

The head looks in opposite directions proving that it is a real seagull.

Isaac does not appear to be any happier than when I passed earlier.

While passing I spot this statue in Cumberland Place so decide to take a look.

The strong sunlight and this lovely Georgian House make a lovely background.

The Statue is of Lord Mountbatten of Burma 

The memorial to the Burma Campaign dedicated by his wife, The Countess. 

Lord Mountbatten in life size.

More Georgian Style Homes and all kept in Pristine Condition

The pleasant walk back took me passed some lovely properties in these quiet backwaters of probably one of the best areas in Southampton. 

I hope that you enjoyed reading about my day.
Frank