Kerry, Amy, Evan and I went to the Royal Armories Museum on Monday. I’ve said it before, but I place the Royal Armories firmly in the number one spot of my Top Ten Museums of All Time list.
This in comparison to our regions other famous museum, the Bronte Parsonage in Howarth, which has been winner of my Most Boring Museum in the World Award for seven years in a row. Six pounds admission for the privilege of looking round a load of dusty old furniture? Six pounds?! I don’t care if the author of Withering Shites did sit in it, a wooden chair is just a wooden chair in my book. Bah, humbug.
But I digress. The reason we went to the Royal Armories on Monday was to see the Weta Workshop exhibition. As any geek worth their salt will tell you, Weta are the people who are responsible for creating all the weapons, armour, and models for the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. Not only that but they did the props for the Chronicles of Narnia, Hellboy, and King Kong movies too.
It’s a little known fact, but Kerry is probably a bigger geek than me. And that’s really saying something, I even have a certificate of geekery from the Association of Geeks, Nerds, and Dweebs and everything. She was as excited about seeing Anduril, Glamdring, and Sting as I was, and we’ve been trying to find time to go along for about a month now. Plus I’ve been looking forward to taunting Lee with the knowledge that I’ve seen Hellboy’s gun, The Samaritan, and he hasn’t. I’m an evil man at heart.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, we didn’t get to see the Weta Exhibition after all. We did get to see the queue for it however, and we decided that standing in it for half an hour with two kids was probably not a good idea. And anyway, there was a very real chance that they would find the more monstrous mannequins pretty terrifying, and we’d have go through the exhibition at a sprint. We’ve not admitted defeat though, and have decided to go back next Friday as we both have a day off and the kids will be elsewhere.
If you told me seven years ago that I’d postpone seeing real live props from the Lord of the Rings films due to vague concerns that my kids wouldn’t enjoy it I’d have laughed in your face. It’s staggering how much parenthood changes you. I’ve even stopped flicking my bogies at people
The day wasn’t wasted however. We did get to see a few props from the film which were scattered about the museum. For example, here is a Uruk-hai warrior keeping a fearsome eye on the kids craft table:
“Spill the glitter and I’ll eat you”
Also going on was a rather elaborate jousting tournament. Unlike previous performances at the Armories that we’ve attended this involved people really hitting each other. The lances were designed to splinter on impact, but still there was a slight risk of an impaling, which always makes things a little more interesting.
A guy in black armor won in the end, which went against everything that I’ve learnt in Saturday morning cartoons. It was only the semi final though, so I’m sure the guy on the white horse won in the end.
All in all it was a pretty busy day. And it didn’t end there as it was straight back to Huddersfield to welcome my brother Sam back into the country from his recent adventures in Australia. Talking to him about his experiences living over there made me hanker for the antipodean life myself. But that’s probably a subject for another blog.
Anyhow, I probably wouldn’t get a chance to see Hellboy’s gun if I lived in Australia would I Lee?
My kids would absolutely LOVE that exhibition. They are a tad older than yours though ;o)
Perhaps I could drop them off and you could take them Friday, I’ll collect them sometime in 2010 ;o)
Penelopes last blog post..Catching up.
I’m jealous.
And I think I might be at risk of being a geek, although I will maintain that the LOTR books were boring, and I much preferred the films.
Next time I’m in Hudds for a few days, and you want to see Frodo’s sword again (fnar fnar), we’ll go!
Mighty fine place the Royal Armouries, and best of all, its free.
But…and your kids are old enough, at least for the smelly downstairs bit - the Thackray Medical Museum is even better, its not free, but your admission does last for a year.
They will love the outside lavvy where someone farts and shouts at you to “bugger off” when you open the door.
Well I did anyway.
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Penelope – errrrr… no. Sorry.
Oli – The LOTR books were mainly boring. I enjoyed them more once I’d seen the film I must admit.
Gary – I once took one of my patients to the Thackery museum on a day out. Patient confidentiality dictates I can’t tell you why I don’t want to go back.
I have to admit I’ve been to the Bronte Museum. That’s all I know, I don’t recall a thing. The props exhibition sounds AWESOME. All we have in Seattle is the Experience Music Project for about $35.00 which also has a small corner,(wait there’s no corners on this building) a spot with some Science Fiction stuff. Someday after we’ve won the lottery we might go….might.
Okay so if I get on a plane and meet you there I can be there next week sometime?
Oh wait, I have a wife and kids, that equals NO MONEY!
“oh Buggars!”
I am jealous! Please share as many pictures as you can!!
Enjoy the time without the kiddos!!!
:)
Sounds like a very cool exhibit. I would totally go if there wasn’t a continent and an ocean between myself and it.
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Oh I want to come too. Mr Band I went to see Hellboy II last week. I love the bit where they get tipsy, and sing cheesy songs hee hee. And Hellboy’s gun is cool.
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I may need to relinquish my status as the bigger geek as it took me a few seconds to work out who/what Anduril, Glamdring and Sting were..
ooh ooh I have to go and see that. Me and the boys would love it. I love thAt stuff and having just seen the trilogy yet again while at the hard rock hotel -did I tell you it is a fab hotel? I want to see it even more. I’d even take your two and mine if I had to.
Yes I have to agree a wooden chair is a wooden chair wherever it is. We took a trip on the K
railway a few years ago when Thomas the tank came for the weekend. Alexander enjoyed it anyway.
gails last blog post..on my way
I’m sorry - Weta Exhibition?! I can queue forever. Oh Google, I’m coming for details! Details!
Becs last blog post..Birthdays and All That.
See, I’m going to admit my total lack of cluefulness and admit that I have no clue what anyone is talking about with this WETA thing.
But The Boy would simply ADORE the jousting. Kind of like that the man in black won. (I think he’d want to try it.)
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I’ll put it on my list of the things to see when in England next to the Warhammer museum in Nottingham.
I bet Lee will give you the silent treatment on this post, you are evil incarnate ;)
Arjans last blog post..The Fringe (premiere)
Mr Pops and I went to that exhibition but I’m afraid it did nothing for me, I could admire and appreciate the workmanship that went into the costumes but Narnia and LOTR leave me cold. In fact I’d rather gnaw off my own leg than read the books or sit through the films. I quite liked Hellboy’s gun though……just a shame you couldn’t have a go of it.
I just don’t get goblins,elves, hobbits etc (except for The Hobbit book which I do like lots) give me creatures from the black lagoon, zombies, vampires, caused by radiation mutated monsters however and I’m a happy woman.
Carla - $35? that’s about 50p isn’t it?
Jeff - I’m planning on taking the camera, but might have to wrestle it off Kerry.
James - Stopped by a petty continent and ocean eh? Wimp.
Jo - We might go and see Hellboy 2 afterwards if we can persuade someone to look after the kids for us.
Kerry - I must admit i looked them up on the mighty wikipedia
Gail - It’s there until november i think. and it’s all free to get in. It really is a great museum.
Bec - Just consider me a public service.
Nat - You don’t know who Weta are? You haven’t lived.
Arjan - I didn’t know there was a warhammer museum. I might have to look it up. You’ll have to be quick on the coming to england thing as it’s only there until november.
Morticia - i tell you what, you have Whitby and i’ll take the Royal armories.
the ‘museum’ is called Warhammer world. I think I’ll drool over the cabinets with painted models when I’m there.
Is the exposition travelling? Do they have a site, maybe they’ll travel to Amsterdam (or another city overhere).
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Right.
Fine.
I don’t care….
Whatever…
I’m jealous.
Stupid living in Australia without access to the Hellboy gun.
Arjan - I’m going to have to check out that Warhammer world, although I hope the staff there aren’t as intrusive as the ones in the games Workshop shops.
Lee - tee hee hee
hehe yes they can be quite intrusive, especially if you’re nót already a gamer..they can be almost obnoxious. But on the other hand if you áre a gamer it’s always fun to talk to enthousiastic staff which rave as much about stuff as you (the gamer) do.
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Arjan - “Are you all right there?” “have you seen the new Dwarf codex?” “oh the new blood bowl is far better than the old one. Would you like to buy it? it’s only £400 and the models are £80 each”. Bah
Jousting tournaments! Saw our first one this summer - dudelet was enthralled! Probably a good call about the queue though I share your pain. What is it about museums full of enormous weapons that makes them so kid friendly? Notoriously, two of dudelet’s favourite places are the Imperial War Museum and the National Army Museum.
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Did you see that story recently about the guy that made, and lives in, a hobbit house. I bet he’s geekier than you. Maybe.
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(un)relaxeddad - I think it’s because everything is behind glass or completely unbreakable (like a canon) so they can run around as much as they like
Whit - I wants it.
I loveee those jousting battles with the horses and knight gear and the whole shabang. I go see them at camelot sometimes, it always makes me excited and scream for the one who comes off the horse first! Ahhh!
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