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Charlotte Connelly

@curatorconnelly.bsky.social

3.1K followers 890 following 320 posts

Head Curator at the National Science and Media Museum. Historian of science and technology. Nerdy about media tech, the history of electricity, the polar regions and the history of exploration #histsci #histtech #museums 📜

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Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · Nov 11

Introduction time...

I mainly post about work-ish stuff as a science and technology curator. I've worked with comms and computing collections at the Science Museum, Arctic and Antarctic collections at the Scott Polar Research Institute and now I'm at the National Science and Media Museum
📜

I am on left, standing in front of a bright yellow mobile phone call box from Cameroon. It is displayed in a museum showcase and has 'MTN and Orange Transfer' painted on it. I am standing with two other people, in the middle is one of our group of Cameroonian co-curators for this display, and on the right a colleague. The display is part of the Information Age gallery at the Science Museum.

I am in the middle of the picture in a purple top, standing behind a table full of objects from the Polar Museum's collection. I am showing the objects to a group of young people. They were participants in the Climate Change co-curation project that I led with my colleague Naomi (at the back on the right). The project resulted in an exhibition curated by the young people.

Find out more by searching for Scott Polar Research Institute and Climate Co-curation - there's a series of blog posts about the project.

I am in the centre of the image, standing in front of a museum display and talking to a group of people. The display is about radio technology and is part of the Information Age gallery at the Science Museum.

Screen grab from a video call. I'm pictured on the right standing in a museum collections store, and I'm talking to Inupiaq artist Othniel Art Oomittuk Jr on the left. We are both smiling while discussing Art's work and later in the video I shared some objects from Tikiġaq / Point Hope, Alaska, cared for in the collections of the Polar Museum.

If you want to watch the whole video, search for 'Big Freeze Festival Othniel Art Oomittuk Jr. artist interview' on Youtube. There's also a great blog post about the collection of objects from Tikiġaq / Point Hope. Art helped us agree how we should work with and care for them when they were first offered to the museum.

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Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · 21d

I can! I'm really pleased for you that you had the opportunity. It looks absolutely awesome - in every sense of the word

Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · 21d

Looks amazing!

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Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · 22d

There was this from the @sciencemuseum.org.uk too

www.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/projects/col...

Collecting COVID-19 | Science Museum Group

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic our curators are actively, and sensitively, researching stories and identifying objects to collect on the nation’s behalf.

www.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk

Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · 28d

Reassured to know it's not just me!

Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · Sep 3

Did the new and improved footage give you more / different feelings? My main feeling is that I'm glad all the sea life is having a lovely time living there

Reposted by Charlotte Connelly

Tealin @twirlynoodle.com · Sep 3

For anyone having Terra Nova feelings today ...

Worst Journey @worstjourney.bsky.social · Sep 3

Here's a thing I wrote about footage of polar shipwrecks, back when the Endurance was found under the Weddell ice: www.patreon.com/posts/on-icy...

On the Icy Deaths of Polar Ships | Tealin

Get more from Tealin on Patreon

www.patreon.com

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Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · Sep 2

Maybe, but I think it would help with daily rhythm if you had a landmark you knew was due east, say, and noticed where the sun was relative to it throughout the day. Or if walking in a consistent direction I think you'd notice the sun / shadows shifting?

Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · Sep 2

Really interesting, thanks for sharing. In the diaries / reports you've read is there much about the phases of the moon or the sun moving around the horizon? I guess sven without sunrise/set there are good informal indications of time of day / date when you get into the rhythm of it

Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · Aug 24

I think you're on to something there, thanks for the article

Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · Aug 24

Huh! I had no idea (to be fair was probably oblivious to Brian Eno in 1995)

Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · Aug 24

Having a nostalgic listen to this. The sound of Windows 95 launching was more evocative than I would have predicted

Witness History - The launch of Windows 95 - BBC Sounds

In 1995 Microsoft released a new operating system after a $300 million marketing campaign

www.bbc.co.uk

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Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · Aug 21

I finally saw this exhibition today - two days before it closes. I wish I'd gone sooner! It's a lovely calming exhibition, yet gently provocative about the materials we use and consume.

I think I'll go back again tomorrow, and I heartily recommend it to anybody else who's in the Bradford area.

Impressions Gallery @impressions-gallery.com · May 20

Artist Clare Hewitt & Impressions Gallery invite you to take part in the community-driven distribution of 'Everything in the forest is the forest' — a handmade, biodegradable photobook inspired by the interconnectedness of the forest. 🌳

Register your interest by noon 2 June 2025
bit.ly/forest_book

Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · Aug 17

There was also a really thoughtful display about Wedgwood's abolitionist campaigning that manages a nuanced discussion of his position supplying goods to a wealthy elite made wealthy via slavery. A compelling display and art made with local students explores his famous anti-slavery medallion

Ceramics Magdalene Odundo's artwork "The Falcon Cannot Hear The Falconer", made during a residency at Wedgwood. The jasperware centerpiece incorporates Wedgwood's anti-slavery medallion design and correspondence between Wedgwood and Olaudah Eauiano

Display case about Josiah Wedgwood and abolition. A student at Stoke-On-Trent Sixth Form College is quoted saying "I think that at the time, the anti-slavery medallion informed white people and almost had a shock value that wanted to make them advocate for change. However, in the modern day I feel this imagery can be upsetting and our modern designs want to empower people."

Be rather the quote a striking artwork states "I am a man and a brother". Ot shows a black hand raised in power, surrounded by and rising above pottery. The artwork was designed by a student at the college.

A rubbish photo of the object I found most compelling in the museum. It's a mug, and the caption says is shows enslaved people working on a sugar plantation. Some abolitionist boycotted sugar to apply economic pressure to end the trade in enslaved people. The design on this mug encouraged the user to consider the origin of the sugar in their tea and it's human cost.

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Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · Aug 17

The museum is far more expansive than I'd expected. I really enjoyed learning about members of the Lunar Society, including Josiah Wedgwood, when I was a student, so it was a pleasure to see some of his work up close. The display emphasised links to industry, empire, canals, nat. philosophy...

A tray of experimental jasperware samples. Wedgwood was a prolific experimented, and became a member of the Royal Society in recognition of his contributions to natural philosophy

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Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · Aug 17

I stopped in at the V&A Wedgwood Collection nrar Stoke today. I enjoyed their little display about the project to catalogue the collection, I imagine updating the 'number of objects available online'counter is a very satisfying job 📜

Intro panel about 'Unpacking the V&A Wedgwood Collection'. An update able display tells us that 21,073 objects are available online

A recently catalogue object. A pink rotary telephone in pink jasperware with white reliefs, 1986

Three recently catalogue objects including a 'springing tool, "waggler"'. Every museum should have one.

A photo of a short film that explains that each object is documented by recoding information including age, artist, manufacturer, physical description, dimensions and condition.

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Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · Aug 17

I was there last week, and they attributed 'engineery' to Smeaton himself

Museum label reading:

Are you engineery?

If you draw, design things or work with tools, then yes, you probably are.

Leeds civil engineer John Smeaton didn't just invent things. In the 1700s he also invented a word that described his job.

That word was 'Engineery'.

Explore the world and you'll find that engineering is everywhere.

Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · Aug 15

I haven't managed to visit yet, but I'd also hazard a guess that every object is labelled with a unique identifier that can be cross-referenced with a database and a variety of other repositories of information.

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Reposted by Charlotte Connelly

National Science and Media Museum @mediamuseum.bsky.social · Aug 12

'ALIEN: Level 5 of the National Science and Media Museum' is now Certified Fresh in Bradford at 100%

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Reposted by Charlotte Connelly

Benjamin Pope @benjaminpope.bsky.social · Aug 12

Stephanie Shirley was a major donor to Balliol College, becoming the second woman (after the college's founder from nearly eight centuries ago!) to have her portrait displayed in Hall. I think this might also be the first painting in a college with what looks like an iPad in it!

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Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · Aug 11

Dame Stephanie Shirley has died aged 91. She adopted the name "Steve" in correspondence as letters signed Stephanie went unanswered. Despite such thoroughly ingrained sexism in computing, she built an astonishing tech career and did all huge amount to support other women in tech

#histsci #histtech

Dame Stephanie 'Steve' Shirley, technology pioneer, dies aged 91

She founded the software company Freelance Programmers in 1962, which almost exclusively hired women, and in later life donated almost £70m of her fortune.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Reposted by Charlotte Connelly

Daniella M. @farsouthhistory.bsky.social · Aug 6

This has been a long-standing issue, rooted in historical cultural norms and policies, for nearly every National Antarctic Program; This thread 🧵recommends scholarly work from humanities and social scientists who have studies this for years #histsci #envhist #Antarctica #polar

Alexandra Witze @alexwitze.bsky.social · Aug 6

We've been waiting for this report from NSF for many months — results of a survey on sexual harassment at US Antarctic stations. The numbers aren't good, but at least this problem is out in the open & starting to be tackled. www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Sexual harassment is rife at US Antarctic research bases, fresh survey finds

More than two-thirds of people polled had witnessed sexual harassment or assault on the ice.

www.nature.com

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Charlotte Connelly @curatorconnelly.bsky.social · Jul 21

Fantastic role for somebody!

#histsci #museumjobs

Dr Laura Humphreys @bogarty.bsky.social · Jul 21

An excellent opportunity to join the curatorial team at the Science Museum has come up! Please spread the word.

🌍Curator of Climate & Earth Sciences
⚗️Part of the excellent Team Science in London Curatorial
⌛ Permanent, Full-Time
💲 £41k p/a

bit.ly/4m3uQFp

bit.ly

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Reposted by Charlotte Connelly

National Science and Media Museum @mediamuseum.bsky.social · Jul 14

Created hand in hand with our community, the new Sound and Vision galleries have accessibility running through their DNA.

Find out more in this article from The National Lottery Heritage Fund: www.heritagefund.org.uk/news/putting...

Putting inclusion, access and participation at the heart of the National Science and Media Museum

The museum’s new Sound and Vision galleries tell the story of how photography, film, television and sound technologies shape our past, present and future.

www.heritagefund.org.uk

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Reposted by Charlotte Connelly

Yvonne Hardman @museums-yvonne.bsky.social · Jul 14

New volunteer-led exhibition, Reel-ise, opened at Leeds Industrial Museum this afternoon. It focuses on film history in the city from women taking the lead to lost cinemas of Leeds and of course a nod to Louis Le Prince.

museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk/pQ20BFv/reel...

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Reposted by Charlotte Connelly

Petroc Trelawny @petroc.bsky.social · Jul 11

a brilliant reinvention of a once cherished mega-cinema. The auditorium of Bradford Live is pretty impressive. In Tune comes live from here today between 5-7pm on BBC Radio 3.

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