Sir John Ritblat Gallery: Treasures of the British Library
The Treasures of the British Library is a permanent, free exhibit within the British Library. This exhibit offers over two hundred and fifty wonderful and fascinating items. Viewers can see the Magna Carta as well as Leonardo Di Vinci’s notebooks. There are also contemporary items such as the Beatles’ lyrics. There are eleven sections in this gallery that cover topics such as the dawn of printing, maps, illuminated manuscripts, sacred texts, science, music, literature, and historic documents. As the name suggests, this exhibit is a veritable treasure trove of historical artifacts.
From a top down perspective, the exhibit is essentially two rectangles slightly offset from each other. As one enters the space, the exhibit sprawls out before them. There is little to suggest a specific path, but it is not difficult to simply turn to the left or right and circumnavigate the area. There are temporary and permanent displays in the middle of the area that require some deviation from this path. The crowds basically move in one stream and it is not difficult to take time and study at particular artifact. The lighting and displays provide wonderful views and set a nice atmosphere. The room containing the Magna Carta is set off to one side by its self. The room is far too narrow and it is difficult enter due to the people who are exiting. Each visitor must move in single file on the left and then turn back into the crowd to exit. There are audio visual displays here that are very interesting and well done, but it would be difficult to stand and enjoy them.
What made this exhibit exciting were the touch screen monitors that allowed the visitors to read the digital versions of every artifact. I sat for several minutes reading Di Vinci’s notebook. I flipped through manuscripts that were hundreds of years old. These artifacts were brilliantly rendered and the motion of turning the page made it feel like they truly were at your fingertips. There were enough of these monitors that one could spend a significant amount of time at the monitor without feeling rushed. Another monitor, that was a bit larger, allowed the visitor to read the Magna Carta in several different languages. I can see this technology as a wonderful tool for researchers and museum goers. The time that it must have taken to digitize all of this material must be staggering but it pays off so well.
This exhibit was well designed. It offers a significant amount of interaction for an exhibit whose focus is rare artifacts and manuscripts. They offer the only experience that I have ever had of enjoying something that old without fearing that I would destroy it. While many of the displays were static display cases, the treasures inside were so beautifully exhibited that it did not take away from the experience. This gallery shows that with a little technology, used correctly, a small space can become a wonderland.
The Treasures of the British Library is a permanent, free exhibit within the British Library. This exhibit offers over two hundred and fifty wonderful and fascinating items. Viewers can see the Magna Carta as well as Leonardo Di Vinci’s notebooks. There are also contemporary items such as the Beatles’ lyrics. There are eleven sections in this gallery that cover topics such as the dawn of printing, maps, illuminated manuscripts, sacred texts, science, music, literature, and historic documents. As the name suggests, this exhibit is a veritable treasure trove of historical artifacts.
From a top down perspective, the exhibit is essentially two rectangles slightly offset from each other. As one enters the space, the exhibit sprawls out before them. There is little to suggest a specific path, but it is not difficult to simply turn to the left or right and circumnavigate the area. There are temporary and permanent displays in the middle of the area that require some deviation from this path. The crowds basically move in one stream and it is not difficult to take time and study at particular artifact. The lighting and displays provide wonderful views and set a nice atmosphere. The room containing the Magna Carta is set off to one side by its self. The room is far too narrow and it is difficult enter due to the people who are exiting. Each visitor must move in single file on the left and then turn back into the crowd to exit. There are audio visual displays here that are very interesting and well done, but it would be difficult to stand and enjoy them.
What made this exhibit exciting were the touch screen monitors that allowed the visitors to read the digital versions of every artifact. I sat for several minutes reading Di Vinci’s notebook. I flipped through manuscripts that were hundreds of years old. These artifacts were brilliantly rendered and the motion of turning the page made it feel like they truly were at your fingertips. There were enough of these monitors that one could spend a significant amount of time at the monitor without feeling rushed. Another monitor, that was a bit larger, allowed the visitor to read the Magna Carta in several different languages. I can see this technology as a wonderful tool for researchers and museum goers. The time that it must have taken to digitize all of this material must be staggering but it pays off so well.
This exhibit was well designed. It offers a significant amount of interaction for an exhibit whose focus is rare artifacts and manuscripts. They offer the only experience that I have ever had of enjoying something that old without fearing that I would destroy it. While many of the displays were static display cases, the treasures inside were so beautifully exhibited that it did not take away from the experience. This gallery shows that with a little technology, used correctly, a small space can become a wonderland.