Exhibition Outline
The entrance to the exhibition will be through a short avenue of golden trees. Other leaves inscribed with poems, thoughts, illustrations, etc. written by visitors or generated from school activities can be fixed on the ground (at the sides) and hung from the trees.
An imaginary land needs to be mapped. The Giant 3-D map can be used not only to help make the connection between two dimensional maps and three dimensional reality, but can also be experienced through touch. With small character figures that can be moved around it can also serve as an aid to story-telling and creative writing.
Language and writing systems were the origin of Tolkien's creation of Middle-earth. The Rune Table will be in the form of a ring, and the letters will be runes and the cursive Tengwar script, carved into the surface (though the English equivalent is available on a separate sheet). Children (and adults!) wil be able to write their secret messages by taking rubbings of the letters one by one. They will be able to stick their completed messages in the Giant Book.
The Giant Book, over 2m high, opens to reveal four pages which can be used to display secret messages, or artwork produced through workshops, letters, etc. Turning the final page also opens a secret passageway to the next section.
The Hobbit sitting-room will be a quiet corner of the exhibition where visitors will be able to sit and read (or just rest their feet). It will also be a space where story-telling sessions can take place. This room lies at the centre of the exhibition in the section discussing the invention of new races and species.
New myths and new histories give an imaginary land depth and a feeling of reality. Other activities will include dressing up and role-play, the dragon's hoard, and the Lord of the Nazgûl!
Miniature 3-D scenes from Lord of the Rings built into boxes and lit internally, which can be viewed through an eyepiece.
Set in the section looking at issues of Good versus Evil and morality in fantasy, the Palantir is clearly labelled "Do Not Touch", but is on open display. Images taken by a concealed camera viewing through the crystal ball will be displayed on a screen, and an alarm will sound when the ball is touched!
Objects for display supplied with the exhibition will include a selection of books, as well as toys and games derived from Tolkien's writings and other fantasy works.
