New gallery opens at Merseyside Maritime Museum
Next weekend sees the opening of a new permanent gallery at the
Merseyside Maritime Museum, with two fun-filled days of activities
guaranteed to keep the first visitors through the doors entertained for
hours.
Seized! Revenue & Customs Uncovered, opening to the public on Saturday
17 May 2008, is the national museum of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and
the only one of its kind in Britain.
It gives people the opportunity to explore the fascinating and
controversial world of the government department HMRC, unveiling all
manner of weird and wonderful attempts at smuggling and tax evasion that
have kept our Customs Officers on their toes over the years!
The exhibition focuses on detective work, fighting crime, patrolling
frontiers, catching criminals, undercover surveillance and an insight
into the motives of the bad guys.
Visitors can expect to see a variety of objects on display for the first
time, including items used for drugs smuggling such as carved African
statues and garden gnomes, a chilling collection of smuggled weapons,
and an emotive display of tourist souvenirs made out of endangered
species.
Saturday and Sunday's activities will focus on themes associated with
key areas of the gallery with displays by a Customs Detection Dog Team
and, as long as it's not called out on an official operation, a visit by
a Cutter. These fast and powerful vessels use high-tech equipment to
guard the coastlines of Britain, intercepting smugglers trying to sneak
goods such as drugs, into the country.
The new gallery features a host of interactive activities to engage
visitors including a specially designed interactive console, which
allows you to control your own cutter to help catch - professional
smugglers.
Spot the Suspect Traveller focuses on passengers using ports and
airports and the ploys some of them use to smuggle illegal goods.
Another section explores the adulteration of food and drink revealing
that substances such as excrement and hedge clippings have been added to
tea and coffee in the past in a bid to boost profits.
There will also be opportunities throughout the weekend for children to
take part in 'rummaging', searching a replica ship's cabin to locate
smuggled goods; a job that is still an important part of a Customs
Officer's work.
Other activities this weekend will include a passport trail, face
painting, the Maritime Museum's ever popular 'Dockwatch', and visits
from several characters including sneaky magicians, who may just plant
something on you to smuggle through the museum!
The museum's learning officers will also be on hand over the weekend to
chat about featured programmes, and on Sunday 18 May there will be a
performance by pupils from specialist sports college Claremount School,
who have worked with museum staff to develop a piece on the effects of
gang and weapon crime.
Merseyside Maritime Museum Albert Dock, Liverpool Admission FREE
Open 10am-5pm every day Information 0151 478 4499
Website liverpoolmuseums.org.uk
