Safe Spaces Trail- Museum, Gallery, Library
This is a transcript from the podcasts around the World Museum, Central Library and Art Gallery. You can listen to the podcast here.
World Museum-
Quiet and stillness are something that ties these three spaces together. The Walker Art Gallery, Central Library and the World Museum all hold such a stillness amongst their walls that makes it hard to not fall in love with the spaces they have created for people. The secrets of the world can be stored here in the World Museum. Found under the stairs or to the left of the dinosaur skeleton. The wonders of the world, right at your fingertips. You can grab at the fossils; you can look your primates in the eye and ask them all that you want to know and more- only for a well-educated museum volunteer to explain it all to you instead. You will enter with questions and leave with a sense of wonder. How do we have so much history? How did it all begin? Your story begins here. At the World Museum! As you wander around the peaceful hallways, your fingers tracing the history of a time before- you are transported to a time you never lived- but a time that got you here to this very moment. Photographs of ancestors hang with pride, dim lights and star shows remind us of our significance in this universe. So much to unravel, so much to learn. A space for wonder and learning, right amongst the business of the modern day. Taking a step back to learn your history is a way of knowing more about the future ahead. What will your future have in store?
This piece was based off the nominations of young people within the city- They said:
- a place I've spent a lot of time at with my friends! It's just so peaceful if you go at the right time, I really loved the space photography exhibition they did not too long ago, it was really awe inspiring and the dim lights and star like music just made it nice!
Library-
Central Library is a space of knowledge, of safety and quiet. You can feel the timeless energy held in every book on the tallest shelves, found in every friendship group trying to whisper their revision notes to each other, every person alone with their thoughts taking time to gather them on paper. The feeling of deep wonder as you walk through the main doors, surrounded by all the thoughts of the people before you. So many stories to understand, so many poems to memorise. So much life inside this quiet space. How wonderful it is to get lost in here. To step away from the busy schedules, the endless To-Do lists, the deadlines, and the responsibilities. How lovely it is to hit pause, open up a book in the corner of the room and get transported to Venice, or Rome or Greece. You can go anywhere while in this quiet space by the flip of a page- would you choose to go somewhere away from here? It feels the perfect space to stay in. Amongst the silent buzzing of wonder as someone learns a new fact, someone just found their favourite book, someone realised that reading can be fun again. When you can go anywhere, Central Library is the greatest place to be.
This piece was based off the nominations of young people within the city- They said:
- this is somewhere I go to by myself, I usually look for the books about weirdly specific subjects! I like to find the quietest corner and getting lost in a book is just really comforting after a stressful day! -
- Want to focus on the original sense of wonder I felt when first walking into the central library and looking /up/
- not only is it possibly the most stunning place on earth aesthetically but the design of the space and being surrounded by knowledge is awe inspiring
- love being able to go and sit and read alone sometimes
Walker Gallery-
The Walker Art Gallery is home to such beauty and magic that is entirely unique to each person who sees them. A piece about love becomes a piece about war, about family, hatred, community. The joy of interpretation is not lost here. Bringing family and friends to admire the work of hundreds of artists before us, expressing the same emotions we feel centuries later. The magic of wandering amongst artwork and getting lost in the stories, in the colourful expression of hardship or loss. The humanity we experience when we connect with art, when we don’t have to say a single word to the person next to us. You can both just feel the gravitational pull of true understanding. For a space that is a haven for the wanderers, the sleepers, the admirers- you will find people slowly following their own trail of interest and finding artwork that makes them feel seen, heard, and accepted. A time to reflect is a hard thing to find, but the gallery offers just that. What will you find when you reflect? What piece will feel like home to you? Step inside and open your world up to the art of magic.
This piece was based off the nominations of young people within the city- They said:
- I love how peaceful and quiet it is when entering and how everyone is appreciating the artwork like I do, and it's filled with such variety of art that I get inspired every time I enter the two galleries.
- Every time I come to the city centre with friends, family, or even just myself, I somehow always end up going there. Being able to silently walk around and reflect on what you see (either when it’s in front of you or in general) is where a lot of my ideas tend to come from. The outside of this building is also where me and my oldest friend saw our first pride parade a few years ago, and it helped solidify that we were well and truly out of the closet.
- I came here a lot while I was in school to take my mind off it. I'll never tire of wandering the gallery or studying the same pieces, although the rotation of new exhibits is also wonderful. Being surrounded with art is the best feeling, and the place has a great atmosphere even when it's bustling with other people. Each section has its own charm and character with some of my favourite artist's works.
- has lots of beautiful art and I have been going there since I was 3 with my own pencil and paper drawing the sculptures.
- I chose this place due to a mixture of enjoyment and personal memory. I went there a few times with various art classes, and it holds a special interest for me. Especially a certain bench nearby, where I had lunch and a very deep conversation with someone who is now lost.
- I used to go with my dad when I was little and I’d watch him draw, it's always very peaceful to go to