New Powerhouse Museum WordPress plugin launched

Posted on 21 January 2011 by James

Seb Chan and the team at Powerhouse Museum in Sydney certainly likes to make sure they stay one step ahead of everyone else in the museums sector, and they’ve proved it once again with the launch of a custom WordPress plugin that interfaces with their collections information through the API (which, of course, they have had up and running for ages).

Here’s a little test.

Length of toy train track, made by Mettoy
85/2577-324 Length of toy train track, tin plate, made by Mettoy, England, 1934-1954
Anatomical model of a human brain
H1704 Anatomical model, human brain, papier-mache / plaster / paint, maker unknown, 1850-1894
Violin bow made by Rainer Beilharz
2009/3/2 Violin bow, wood / hair / metal / leather, made by Rainer Beilharz, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, probably 1982-2000
'Moraine' sofa by Zaha Hadid
2005/180/1 Sofa and cover, 'Moraine', polyurethane foam/ leather/ canvas, designed by Zaha Hadid, England, 2000, made by Sawaya & Moroni, Italy, 2004
Malietoa supporters training for battle, Upolu, Samoa, 1899
85/1284-1478 Photographic negative, Malietoa supporters training for battle, gelatin / glass, photographer unknown, published by Kerry and Co., Upolu, Samoa, 1899
Photograph of training ship "Sobraon"
P1835 Photographic print, albumen, black & white, mounted on card, 'Training Ship "Sobraon." ', NSW Government Printer, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1894
Afghan camel train on the Wanaaring Road
85/1284-765 Photographic negative, Afghan camel train on the Wanaaring Road, Warrego district, glass / gelatin emulsion, photographed by George Bell (attributed).
Length of toy train track, made by Mettoy
85/2577-325 Length of toy train track, tin plate, made by Mettoy, England, 1934-1954
Tin plate toy coal tender from train set
85/2587-25 Toy coal tender, from train set, tin plate, made by Meccano, England, c. 1937
Malietoa supporters trained by Lieutenant Gaunt, Apia, Samoa, 1899
85/1284-1481 Photographic negative, Malietoa supporters trained by Lieutenant Gaunt marching through the streets of Apia, gelatin / glass, photographer unknown, published by Kerry and Co., Apia, Upolu, Samoa, March 1899
Photograph of first Avro trainer A6-15
88/289-146 Photographic glass plate negative, first Avro Cadet trainer aircraft A6-15, Clyde Engineering Pty Ltd, Australia, 1940
Concept drawings for the 4th Generation 'Millennium' train
2006/52/7 Drawings (3), concept sketches and renderings for the 4th generation 'Millennium' train, paper, made by TDI (Transport Design International) and Design Resource Australia, Crows Nest, New South Wales, Australia, 1995-1997
Model of a brig, made & presented by the boys on the training ship "Sobraon".
H1697 Model of a brig made & presented by the boys on the training ship "Sobraon" (SB).
Glass plate negative of Como Hotel, Como with Illawarra train line
2008/165/1-126 Glass plate negative (1 of 193), Como Hotel, Como with Illawarra railway line, glass, photographer possibly Arthur Phillips, Australia, c. 1900
Glass plate negative of the Como Hotel, Como with Illawarra train line
2008/165/1-46 Glass plate negative (1 of 193), view of Como Hotel, Como with Illawarra train line in background, glass, photographer possibly Arthur Phillips, Australia, 1895-1905
Servomechanism training equipment
2008/182/1 Servomechanism training equipment (2), AC servo system and mechanical gear set Kit 'A', metal / wood / plastic / electronic components, AC servo system designed and made by Servomex Controls Ltd, mechanical gear set designed and made by Feedbac
Concept drawings for the 4th Generation 'Millennium' train
2006/52/8 Drawings (3), concept sketches and renderings for the 4th generation 'Millennium' train, paper / plastic, made by TDI (Transport Design International) and Design Resource Australia, Crows Nest, New South Wales, Australia, 1997-1998
Packet of 'Fink's Compound Syrup of Hypophosphites Nerve & Brain Tonic'
2002/53/6 Packaging for proprietary pharmaceutical, 'Fink's Compound Syrup of Hypophosphites Nerve & Brain Tonic', cardboard, manufacturer and place of manufacture unknown, [1955-1975]
Track for toy train, made by ATC
85/2577-335 Board, track for toy train, tin plate, made by ATC, Japan, 1960-1980
Photograph of Avro Anson trainer aircraft
88/289-969 Photographic glass plate negative, Avro Cadet trainer aircraft, A6-3, A6-15, A6-23, in workshops, Clyde Engineering Pty Ltd, Australia, 1940

Imperial War Museum panorama

Posted on 8 August 2010 by James

Another experimental panorama, this time at the Imperial War Museum. Most of the main attractions are set as highlights, but Microsoft Silverlight is very frustrating in that it doesn’t allow users to hover over something in the scene and find out more. In fact it’s not very good at displaying information at all – I’d have thought it would at least show captions from the titles and descriptions that you set!

Wait a little while and it should automatically go through the highlights, or just click on the thumbnails to the right (again, there must be something not quite right with a piece of software if you have to give people guidance on how to do the basics!)

I’d suggest opening full screen for maximum impact, or see the original on photosyth.net

A Day At The (Horniman) Museum

Posted on 12 April 2010 by James

I was recently prompted to pay a long overdue visit to the Horniman Museum, round in Forest Hill, south east London. So last Sunday morning Oliver and I set off for the day.

Wow, it had changed incredibly since my last visit, back in the days when I was working on plant uses in the Centre for Economic Botany at Kew (my first job at Kew). With brand new galleries, a new aquarium, and the temporary travelling exhibition Myths and Monsters (from the Natural History Museum team) it proved to be a great day out.

Myths and Monsters

Even the old natural history galleries, where one is rather fittingly invited to ‘step back in time’, provided some engaging displays; for examples skeletons of apes and early man, together with moulds of brain sizes, give a stark reminder of how we have evolved. Somehow these rather erudite displays seem suitably complemented by the over-stuffed walrus
which takes pride of place in the middle of the gallery.

At the Horniman the theme of culture is a constant one, and we found ourselves watching videos of brass shields being made in Benin, looking at mummies from Egypt, and gazing at the most amazing displays packed full of musical instruments of all shapes and sizes (with a nice little side room where you can try some out, though not the expensive guitars, much to Oliver’s disappointment!).

I shouldn’t forget the gardens. It was hardly the best time of the year to visit a garden, nor was the weather on our side, but it’s good to see that they have just got nearly a million pounds of Lottery money to carry out an extensive refurbishment, including rebuilding the bandstand (from where you get amazing views looking north over central London).

He’d hate me for saying this, but whether it was the stepping back in time, the change in surroundings, or simply a rare chance for us to spend one-on-one time together, Oliver was transformed from ’12 year old going on 18′ into the studious scholar, to the point where half the time he was telling me what things were!

Just goes to show the power of museums of all shapes and sizes, and you don’t get much wider a range of exhibit than the Horniman – well worth a visit, with a wide appeal to everyone.

Check out their website and their Facebook page

Paris 26 Gigapixels – gigapixel image of Paris

Posted on 18 March 2010 by James

I’m always wary of technology for technology’s sake, but not only is this a fantastic technical feat and a high quality image, it’s also delivered via a rather slick interface …