New Exhibition for Warwickshire Museum! “Why are they wearing that?”
St John’s House, which forms part of Warwickshire Museum, is preparing to open a new fascinating exhibition entitled “Why are they wearing that?”
The exhibition, which opens on Tuesday 20 January, features items from the costume collection that may surprise and intrigue visitors and will enable children and families to ask and find the answers to questions such as:
Why … did Ernie Watts wear a dress?
Why… would you wear a funny hat?
Why…did Mrs Horton wear a sheet?
How…do people know what we believe?
As an inviting “taster”, the answer to the question ‘Why did Mrs Horton wear a sheet?’ is that she made an evening jacket from an old sheet during World War II when clothes and fabric were rationed. She decorated it with embroidery and trimmings from her sewing box to create a unique garment although the concept of wearing an old sheet will seem strange to many people today!
There will also be a hijaab (headscarf) and veil on display belonging to an outfit collected as part of ‘Asian Fashion’ – a project in partnership with Muslim women and their families in Nuneaton. Some women choose to cover their hair and face with the hijaab and veil. For many it is a statement of what they believe.
A participant in ‘Asian Fashion’ said “I didn’t wear these clothes because I was pressured into it. It was a decision I took for myself…anybody that dresses a certain way will make statement, and obviously I must make a lot of statements by just what I wear!”
Maggie Wood, Warwickshire County Council’s Keeper of Social History, said
“Everything on display is from our Costume Collection. It includes over 500 women’s dresses from the 18th century to the present day, as well as menswear, children’s clothes, and accessories. There are also textiles such as samplers and quilts. The collection is a rich resource for everyone, regardless of age or level of knowledge.”
As well as the costume on display there will also be a book box and related activities for children & families to do when visiting the exhibition.
St John’s House is a Grade I listed Jacobean mansion & gardens displaying many local treasures that tell the stories of Warwickshire people. Displays include items relating to childhood, the history of the house, a Victorian schoolroom, kitchen & laundry and a discovery area for under 5’s. The house also contains the Museum of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on the first floor.
Admission is free! Opening times are 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday & Bank Holiday Mondays (all year round), 2.30pm to 5pm on Sundays from April to September only.