The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

25.4 - Catherine T's Task: Museums For Learning

I am lucky enough to work at the National Gallery in London, which is one of several national museums part-funded by the public purse (and we thank you!). I have good working relationships with colleagues in the other "nationals" - the Natural History Museum; the V&A; the Science Museum; the British Museum; Tate; the National Portrait Gallery and the Imperial War Museum. All of these have strong programmes for kids, schools and adult learning, as a key element of their remit is to educate as well as entertain.

Choose one option below.

For this task, we'll be reading books which are
- new to you,
- non-fiction, AND
- have a total page count of at least 600

Option 1: Read 2 books, one Book 1 and one book 2.

Book 1: the museums & galleries cover a wide range of areas between them, but we're going to focus on the broad sweep. Read a book with a main page genre of History, Science or Biography or a related subgenre under one of those genres, such as History>Microhistory or Science>Biology.

Book 2: the National Gallery has a (we hope!) blockbuster exhibition planned to open in April, "Monet and Architecture", and Tate Britain also has an exhibition "Impressionists in London". Both of these will have a lot of buildings in them, so, read a book with a building on the cover. The building must be an exterior view of a man-made construction.
ex.

Option 2: Read one book that meets both Book 1 and Book 2 requirements.
ex. history genre, nonfiction, 600+ pages, exterior building cover, (new-to-you)
.
Required: State that the books are new to you. Include the cover.

Snag-free:

buildings in the background are OK -

buildings as drawing are good -

stylised buildings work too -

snagged

note that the requirement is for an external building. Monuments (even massive ones like pyramids), statuary etc won't count. Rubble of a building won't count either.

can't tell if it's a building - - gateways, arches etc could be in a wall, not a building
can't tell it it's an exterior or interior -

This help thread is open!

Would this work for the 1 book option?

The Fellowship: The Literary Lives of the Inklings: J.R.R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Owen Barfield, Charles Williams

It's non fiction, has both Biography and History as Main Page Genres. The cover has buildings on it. It has 644 pages. It's new to me. (Just making sure I covered all the rules.)

Lavender wrote: "Would this work for the 1 book option?

The Fellowship: The Literary Lives of the Inklings: J.R.R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Owen Barfield, Charles Williams

It's non fiction, has both ..."

That will work! Don't forget to post the cover too, when you claim the task :)

I just know that I'm going to fail to post this task successfully!

Will these work. buildings in background and for biography

JennRenee wrote: "Will these work. buildings in background and [bookcover:..."

I didn't do the page count maths, but Ok for buildings & MPG/nonfiction

Cat wrote: "JennRenee wrote: "Will these work. buildings in backgrou..."

Thanks so much!

Cat wrote: "Lavender wrote: "Would this work for the 1 book option?

The Fellowship: The Literary Lives of the Inklings: J.R.R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Owen Barfield, Charles Williams

It's non f..."

Thanks!!

Does the drawing of the gate/arch qualify?

Thank you

Kim wrote: "Does the drawing of the gate/arch qualify?

Thank you"

That's not obviously a building, no

Cat wrote: "Kim wrote: "Does the drawing of the gate/arch qualify?

Thank you"

That's not obviously a building, no"

I knew it was a long shot, but I thought I'd give it a try.

Thanks.

Would these books work for option 2? They are nonfiction, with history genre and 600+ pages. Do their covers qualify?

I think this one would work: - new to me, non-fiction, over 600p, MPG History 56 users, and what look like buildings on each side of the street.

What a great task. Working at the National Gallery must be amazing. One of my dream jobs is to work in an education role in a museum, especially in early years or primary education. I love the National Gallery and I’m hoping to see the Monet exhibition this year.

Anyway. Now to the actual point of my post: would this book work for book 2? The images are definitely buildings but it’s not quite a conventional picture of a building so I wanted to ask if it works. Thank you!

Rina wrote: "Would these books work for option 2? They are nonfiction, with history genre and 600+ pages. Do their covers qualify?


[bookcover:London: T..."

I had to hmmmmm over Postwar, but I did spot an intact standing building, so ok.
The Ackroyd is a yes too

Cat wrote: "Rina wrote: "Would these books work for option 2? They are nonfiction, with history genre and 600+ pages. Do their covers qualify?


[bookco..."
Thank you!

Bea wrote: "I think this one would work: - new to me, non-fiction, over 600p, MPG History 56 users, and what look like buildings on each side of the st..."

That's a yes

Bryony wrote: "What a great task. Working at the National Gallery must be amazing. One of my dream jobs is to work in an education role in a museum, especially in early years or primary education. I love the Nati..."

Thanks. Yes, it's pretty special, even if I'm back office support rather than working directly with pictures or visitors (though without us back office, front facing activities would grind to a halt!)

Yes to your stylised concrete buildings

Could you verify the genre History for Instant: The Story of Polaroid please?

Please confirm MPG "Nonfiction" for
We Band of Angels
and
(building on cover)

Also, does this work for the cover task:



Embiggen and you'll see a cityscape along the bottom.

Do these two books work for Option 1
Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery It is nonfiction, Science (400 p.)
and ] for Book 2 nonfiction, with buildings on the cover (272 p.)

Is this ok for option 1/book 2?

Tien wrote: "Is this ok for option 1/book 2?

"

I'm not sure that's an exterior (I think it's of a stage? With the stage curtains?), so sorry, not for book 2. But I note that it has History MPG

Suzanne wrote: "Could you verify the genre History for Instant: The Story of Polaroid please?"

Verified

Book Concierge wrote: "Please confirm MPG "Nonfiction" for
We Band of Angels
and
(building on cover)"

Both ok!

Andy wrote: "Do these two books work for Option 1
Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery It is nonfiction, Science (400 p.)
and [bookcover:Without Reservations: The Travels Of An In..."

Both ok. Endurance with science & biography

Suzanne wrote: "Also, does this work for the cover task:



Embiggen and you'll see a cityscape along the bottom."

Embiggened, standing buildings spotted: good to go!

This should work for the one book option right?

Meg wrote: "This should work for the one book option right? "

History or science MPGs, plus a building - as you can see entrances (a pure pyramid wouldn't work, as they are monuments rather than buildings), page count >600 - it works - assuming it's new-to-you

Could I just check that the buildings are clear enough on the cover of for this to be useable for the one-book option. Thanks.

Trish wrote: "Could I just check that the buildings are clear enough on the cover of for this to be useable for the one-book option. Thanks."

fine with that level of buildings, yes

Perfect. Thank you.

I think this is an outside view of a train station. Would this work

Thanks

Cindy wrote: "I think this is an outside view of a train station. Would this work

Thanks"

I think it's the inside view of a train station... no, sorry :(

Cat wrote: "Andy wrote: "Do these two books work for Option 1
Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery It is nonfiction, Science (400 p.)
and [bookcover:Without Reservations: The Tra..."

Thank you,
Andy

just checking do both books have to be Non fiction

Marie (UK) wrote: "just checking do both books have to be Non fiction"

They do, Marie,yes

Cat wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "just checking do both books have to be Non fiction"

They do, Marie,yes"

thanks I totally misread the task oh well back to the drawing board (architectural ones of course)

Cat wrote: "Cindy wrote: "I think this is an outside view of a train station. Would this work

sorry I think I linked a wrong cover Would this work

Hi Cindy, that book you've linked () has no MPGs at the moment, so won't work for book 1. I can't see any building in there for book 2 either. :(

our posts crossed!

Cindy wrote: "sorry I think I linked a wrong cover Would this work "

That would work for either of the two book options, yes: buildings on cover & History MPG. page count is too low for the one book option, mind (though I am sure you know that!)

Hmm...I'm not sure on this one for book two...it is new to me and well, they are sitting in front of a building at the top (if you enlarge the cover you can see it), but it's just really a porch. If it doesn't work that's okay, but I thought I'd ask



Thanks ;)

on the basis that people don't usually pour water onto their living room floor, that cover's approved as being the exterior of a building

Would the Buildings on the side work for this?



Thanks

Joanne wrote: "Would the Buildings on the side work for this?



Thanks"

Those building will be absolutely spiffing :)

Cat wrote: "Joanne wrote: "Would the Buildings on the side work for this?



Thanks"

Those building will be absolutely spiffing :)"

Oh, great! My father fought in Italy, so I am looking forward to this read!