The Cabinet of Curiosity visits Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery

I recently used the cabinet at the Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery during a family day which involved working with the museum staff and local families to explore their wonderful collection of objects.

Shirley shows the children some 'illegal measuring weights', which were extremely heavy but not quite heavy enough to be legal!

Mai discusses the Cabinet of Curiosity project and aims for the day.

A beautiful embroidered, early 19th century tobacco pouch and rope maker.

A magnifying glass and microsope were on hand to explore the exquisite detail!

                                  Objects to inspire and handle carefully with gloves!

Exploring the quarrymen's slate carvings which were displayed above mantels and under    dressers to lift them off the dirt floors. The men were inspired by the images in embroidered samplers.

           Participants inscribed their own images on printing blocks after drawing the slates.

Then they developed their drawings in relief and made clays moulds for plaster casts.     These ideas were inspired by the moulds used for creating decoration on butter.

Here are some examples of the plaster casts the participants made in response to the objects they saw.They have labelled and written their own personal thoughts  and displayed them in the Cabinet of Curiosity.