Work is going on behind the scenes at Carlisle’s Tullie House to reopen later this month and its first exhibition is the result of the work of 150 youngsters from West Cumbria.
The museum is set to open on May 17 and staff are looking forward to welcoming people to Driggsby, A Whale’s Tale.
Driggsby was a 12m juvenile fin whale who washed up on Drigg beach and is now on display as part of the Tullie House collection.
The new immersive exhibition imagines how she arrived at Drigg, her life before and is brought to life with puppets, props, animations and a soundscape.
Pupils from Workington’s Ashfield Infant and Nursery School, St Michael’s Nursery and Infant School; Distington Community School; Mayfield School, Mawbray’s Holme St Cuthbert School and Seascale Primary School spent 18 months working with Prism Arts and Tullie House to explore life in our oceans, discover how Driggsby might have journeyed to Cumbria and learn why whales have been the inspiration for myths and legends.
Exhibition highlights include:
- Meet Driggsby and her underwater friends, the mermaid, narwhal and sea turtle
- Brave the dark tunnel with its stinging plants and scary shadows
- Journey to the North Pole, but watch out for the fire in the water
- Be inspired by Driggsby’s story and the children’s drawings and create your own drawings
- Make your own pledge to Driggsby to reduce your plastic pollution.
During the project, the children conducted beach cleans led by Workington Nature Partnership and saw for themselves how much rubbish can be found on our coastline.
Driggsby, A Whale’s Tale is a partnership project between Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery and Prism Arts, funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Coucil England.
