Good morning, and welcome to the museum - one with a remarkable range of exhibits, which Im sure youll enjoy. My names Greg, and Ill tell you about the various collections as we goround. But before we go, let me just give you a taste of what we have here.
Well, for one thing, we have a fine collection of twentieth and twenty-first century paintings,
many by very well-known artists. Im sure youll recognise several of the paintings. This is the gallery that attracts the largest number of visitors, so its best to go in early in the day beforethe crowds arrive.
Then there are the nineteenth-century paintings. The museum was opened in the middle of
that century and several of the artists each donated one workto get the museum started, as it were. So theyre of special interest to us - we feel closer to them than to other works.
The sculpture gallery has a number of fine exhibits, but I'm afraid it's currently closed for
refurbishment. Youll need to come back next year to see it properly. but a number of the sculptures have been moved to other parts of the museum.
Around the world' is a temporary exhibition - you've probably seen something about it on TV or in the newspapers. It's created a great deal of interest, because it presents objects fromevery continent and many countries, and provides information about their social context -why they were made, who for, and so on.
Then theres the collection of coins. This is what you might call a focused, specialist collection, because all the coins come from this country, and were produced between two
thousand and a thousand years ago. And many of them were discovered by ordinary people digging their gardens, and donated to the museum!
All our porcelain and glass was left to the museum by its founder, when he died in 1878. And in the terms of his will, were not allowed to add anything to that collection: he believed it wasperfect in itself, and we dont see any reason to disagree!
OK, that was something about the collections, and now here s some more practical information, in case you need it. Most of the museum facilities are downstairs, in thebasement, so you go down the stairs here. When you reach the bottom of the stairs, you'llfind yourself in a sitting area, with comfortable chairs and sofas where you can have a restbefore continuing your exploration of the museum.
We have a very good restaurant, which serves excellent food all day, in a relaxing
atmosphere. To reach it, when you get to the bottom of the stairs, go straight ahead to the far side of the sitting area, then turn right into the corridor. You'll see the door of the restaurant facing you
If you just want a snack, or if you'd like to eat somewhere with facilities for children, we also
have a café. When you reach the bottom of the stairs, you'll need to go straight ahead, turn, right into the corridor, and the café is immediately on the right.
And talking about children, there are baby-changing facilities downstairs: cross the sitting area, continue straight ahead along the corridor on the left, and you and your baby will findthe facilities on the left-hand side.
The cloakroom, where you should leave coats, umbrellas and any large bags, is on the left hand side of the sitting area. It's through the last door before you come to the corridor.
There are toilets on every floor, but in the basement they're the first rooms on the left when you get down there.
OK, now if youve got anything to leave in the cloakroom, please do that now, and then well start our tour.