Explore Hampshire’s Heritage online
For the first time, objects from the Winchester City Council museums and museums in the Hampshire-Solent Alliance will be on view on a new website – Heritage100.
Heritage100 is an interactive website that has revolutionised the way the public can access items gathered together from museums and archives across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
The site showcases a hand-picked selection of interesting and quirky objects online, giving visitors the opportunity to view images and learn about the history of the objects and where they came from.
Heritage100 gives the public a fun and interactive way to enjoy learning about ancient objects and share some of their own experiences by uploading their own photos, videos and comments, and also rating their favourite artefacts.
So far the site has had over 18,000 hits and can be accessed on smart phones and tablets.
Fascinating objects from over twenty museums and archives in the South are featured on the site. These include the Bluebird Proteus, the car that set the land speed record in 1960, a 125 million year old dinosaur bone from the Isle of Wight, and a pocket watch recovered from a victim of the Titanic disaster.
Winchester Museums has contributed thirteen items including a sedan chair and penny farthing, Foster’s tobacconist shop, a silver coin of King Alfred and the city moot horn, blown at mayor-making ceremonies.
Robin Iles, Education Officer at Winchester City Council Museums said,
In the digital world in which we now live, the site harnesses younger people’s enthusiasm for technology and links them to the rich history that is beautifully displayed in the City Council’s museums. Visitors to the City Museum, Westgate and City Space can use their smart phones to read QR codes which link them directly to items on the Heritage100 site.”
Cllr Patricia Stallard, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Heritage and Sport at Winchester City Council said,
The site is not just a great achievement for our Winchester City Council Museum Team and museums in the Hampshire-Solent Alliance, but also a great source of knowledge for all residents and provides a unique way for people to feedback their own experiences.”
The website, that went live this winter, has been built as part of a cultural outreach programme on behalf of Winchester City Council and the other members of the Renaissance Hampshire-Solent Alliance of Museums and Archives. The national Museums Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) are funding the project to encourage more visitors to local museums.
For more information and to explore the site visit www.heritage100.org.uk.