One of the artist's impressions of what Norwich Castle keep could look like and how Norfolk's and the British Museum's treasures could be displayed.

Ambitious Norwich Castle plans unveiled by museum officials

Richard Wheeler Friday, January 27, 2012
8:44 AM

Ambitious plans to plough millions of pounds into a major reamp of Norwich Castle Museum have been revealed.

Dr John Davies, chief curator and keeper of archaeology at Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service with some of the trial exhibition displays in the Norwich Castle Museum keep. Photo by Simon Finlay.

Smart phone technology, wall projections and giant display cases to showcase treasures from Norfolk and British Museum are among the latest ideas being explored for the iconic building’s keep.

Staff from the Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service say they are planning to submit “big funding bids” in the next 18 months, which if successful will change the keep’s appearance to visitors.

The Evening News understands the funding bids will aim to attract a cash sum in the millions. Potential sources include lottery cash.

Project officials say there is no target figure, although a total will become clearer in time.

They hope to complete a project by 2014/15 that creates a wow factor, makes the castle an attraction the region can be proud of and encourages people to revisit.

But first they will speak to the public to find out what they want. Focus groups are planned to start in March.

Dr John Davies, chief curator and keeper of archaeology, from the county’s museum service, said: “Norwich was one of the richest provincial cities in Britain during the medieval period.

“It was a regional capital of national and international significance. Our ambition is to make Norwich’s wonderful Norman Castle keep the display venue for a new interpretation of the history of Norman and medieval Norwich.”

A first look at how Norwich Castle’s keep could be designed in the future has been revealed.

The 11th century structure has previously been designed to perform the roles of royal palace, gaol and prison.

And now the keep is in line to be refreshed for the first time in more than a decade.

The artist’s impressions show initial ideas of how exhibits from Norfolk and the British Museum could be displayed.

Sketches of how the colours and decor of the medieval-era might be recreated are also unveiled.

Staff have spent almost 12 months working on the Gateway to Medieval England project and trying to establish how to make the attraction stand out. This includes working with the British Museum to allow objects from London to be brought to Norwich. Ideas for how to develop the city museum have been already tested.

It is expected feedback from visitors will help influence how the castle is displayed in the future.

Emma Taylor, Norwich museums development officer, said there were a number of new technological toys available to bring history to life.

She said: “It’s 10 years further down the line and more than a million visitors have gone through the museum in that time and we wanted to revisit it and be really ambitious.

“There are so many opportunities with technology, such as virtual reconstructions of how the castle could have looked in the Norman period and bringing in to use people’s smart phones.”

Ms Taylor said it was important to listen to what the public wanted to get the most out of the project.

She said: “We are doing a lot of talking to people about what they would like. There will be some really big funding bids next year or the end of this year. We will really go for it and get some big money to get a wonderful project.

“It’s not going to be easy to get it right but I am sure we can.”

Castle Museum staff have also been working with their counterparts at French medieval castles. The project is known as Norman Connections and is being made possible by £160,000 of European Union cash. It hopes to bring together ideas and knowledge of how to display history from tourism services and Norman heritage sites in the south of England and Normandy, in France.

Dr Davies said: “Norwich Castle is also in close collaboration with European partners in Caen, Bayeux, Falaise and Calvados in Normandy, Rochester, Hastings and Colchester in England. Working with these partners, we are jointly exploring ways of interpreting our Norman Castle sites in their international context.”

George Nobbs, a county councillor and member of the Norwich area museums committee, said: “We must always be very careful when we make changes to the castle that we take along the people of Norwich with us as they have demonstrated recently that they are very fond of their museums.

“Before anything is done there should be a meaningful consultation, not just a paper one or paying lip service but the fullest possible one.

“No change should be made unless it’s an improvement.”

15 comments

I agree that we shouldn't deface such a fine building with too much "modernity", but it should be entertaining for kids. I would like to have the keep available as a function space. So moveable displays are a must.

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andrea richardson

Saturday, January 28, 2012
As long as it isn't dumbed down even further. There seems to be a tendency whenever anything is 'modernised' to oversimplify, aim at six year olds and add theatrical special effects.

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Norfolk Dumpling

Friday, January 27, 2012
Scotland gets everything for free. Norwich deserves a bit from the gravy train. Free entry for all.

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bookworm

Friday, January 27, 2012
Couldn't agree more with T Doff. When will the Bridewell museum be re-opened?

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Rich Hartt

Friday, January 27, 2012
Trouble is Keith, that it's been used for such a variety of things over the century that simply moving the museum out wouln't really leave much to appreciate. But I do like the suggestion that we might get some Norfolk treasures back from the BM - even if only "on loan". And some linking with the stories of the castles over here in Calvados would help tell a cohesive story of the Normans and their influence on Norfolk. (btw if you get the chance DO pay a visit to the castle at Falaise...end of advert for Normandy Tourism))

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Chris Booty

Friday, January 27, 2012
Lottery cash that could be spent on more needy cases, is upholding castle museums fee charging policy? Museums in Scotland are free and so are other public venues. When will we stop charging taxpayers thrice, via the council tax, via an exhorbitant entrance fee and via poor people's contribution to the lottery?

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ingo wagenknecht

Friday, January 27, 2012
one has to pay to see great art in this museum but modern art is normally free.says it all.

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bookworm

Friday, January 27, 2012
The problem is thet the place is first and foremost a castle and not a museum. As a Norman castle it should be preserved. It should not be turned into a shopping mall. Norwich 'museum' should be elsewhere.

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keith gerrard

Friday, January 27, 2012
I think there is a need to be careful to not use technology just because it's there. Surely the point of going to a musuem is to look at the artifacts and learn about them. Well-presented displays with information available (visually or audibly) as it is today in most museums would be my preference. Transmitting data to smart phones would surely distract from looking at the exhibits, not to mention cause lots of people not looking where they are going! I visited the National Gallery recently, and chuckled to myself at the people sitting at the computer screens near the coffee bar, browsing the artwork online.

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AE

Friday, January 27, 2012
yes Norwich has never given free admission. i hear other major cities have free entry to all museums. talk about hard done by....

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bookworm

Friday, January 27, 2012
Is it not about time that Norwich people are treated better ? If you visit the Castle Museum in York, citizens of York get free admission, and anyone paying for admission gets free return admission for a whole year if they gift aid their entry fee. Our heritage should be an important part of the lives of everyone who lives in Norwich (or Norfolk, come to that) and should be freely available for us to study and enjoy.

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Norwich Boy

Friday, January 27, 2012
When I used to go to the museum I was a child in an adults world - now I am an adult in a child's world, I rest my case.

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Stop Press

Friday, January 27, 2012
ask the museum where the victorian collection of china cats are.

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bookworm

Friday, January 27, 2012
Completely agree - I can smell another vanity project shaping itself up for public funding.

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JCW

Friday, January 27, 2012
I am not convinced that everything has to be presented digitally or by computer animations and all the other electronic stuff. I for one don't have a smart phone. Exhibits like the Norfolk dioramas (albeit bowdlerised by the removal of the gory Grimes Grave tableau which used to fascinate me more than 50 years ago), tell everything in a perfect way. Before embarking on snazzy technology, those in charge of Norwich museums might like to a) complete the Bridewell b) open Strangers Hall more often c) sort the Norfolk Regiment exhibits out rather faster than the Bridewell.

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T Doff

Friday, January 27, 2012