Find out what’s happening behind the scenes
Dr. Keith meets Grade 6 students
Wednesday, 11 February 2015
By Candianne Williams
Museum Representative, Village at Grace Bay
During his visit to Providenciales in February Dr. Keith had the pleasure of speaking with a group of twenty three grade 6 students and their teachers from the Ianthe Pratt, Richmond Hill Primary School, Holy Family Academy and Precious Treasures Primary School at the Development Office, Grace Bay Campus. He also met with students from Champions for Christ International School of Excellence and The International School of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Dr. Keith explains the story of the Molasses Reef Wreck.
The students all engaged in lively discussion with Dr. Keith as he shared his knowledge of the history of the islands and outlined the plans for the National Museum in Providenciales. They asked many questions about the stories we hope to develop in the new museum and also about his work as a marine archaeologist on the Molasses Reef and Trouvadore shipwreck sites. They listened in absolute silence, hanging on to every word as he recounted his experiences.
From the sound of it I would say that we have at least one future underwater archaeologist and a few more with definite interest in the museum field. The future looks very bright for us.
- Published in A Day at the National Museum
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Grade Three Students Visit the Museum
Friday, 30 January 2015
By Candianne Williams
Grace Bay Campus TCNM
The Grade Three class of The International School of the Turks and Caicos Islands, who are presently studying the Lucayan Indians, truly embraced the topic on their recent visit to the Museum’s Grace Bay Campus. The students were ably accompanied and assisted by their teachers Tracey Nesbit and Irene Danics.
Eager students learning about the Lucayan Indians at the Museum.
The young Lucayans produced tools and jewelry referencing the displays at the museum and their text, all from materials found in the natural environment like sticks and conch shells.
Getting organized with all the same materials used in the past and found in the natural environment.
We quickly found out that it took great skill to make tools that were functional. However, this very creative group was up to the challenge and succeeded in the end.
Progress on the shell necklace after some hard work.
Their hard work paid off with some great looking tools.
This was the first group of students to visit the Museum’s Grace Bay Campus, which is still in its developmental stage. I must say we all had great fun delving into the Lucayan history. We look forward to being a learning resource to more groups in the future.
For more information about the Grace Bay campus or to arrange a visit, contact Candianne Williams
- Published in A Day at the National Museum
Tying Knots with the Children’s Club
Tuesday, 30 December 2014
by Nikki Jennings
Children’s Club Coordinator
On December 13th the TCNM Children’s Club hosted Mr. Hartley Squires, who came to teach us nautical rope knots. We learned 6 knots, including the clove hitch for which Hartley especially made a wooden pylon so we could practice that knot. In the photographs you see Chelsea Been practicing her clove hitch.
Chelsea Been practicing her bowline.
We learned to do a perfect bowline, in which both ends are on the same side of the knot. Antranay shows us her skills.
Antranay shows us her skills with a bowline.
Hartley also put together a cleat so we could practice our Cleat Hitches. Here Hartley is showing Andrew how to do the Cleat Hitch. As is usually the case, Andrew picked it up right away!
Mr. Hartely Squires teaching Andrew a cleat hitch.
We finished the session with a talk about nautical safety, which is very dear to Hartley. He left us with the adage: Cats have nine lives, we only have one so let’s be smart about safety!
Knot tying was the last session of the year for the Children’s Club. The New Year should be exciting as we welcome a new Children’s Club Coordinator, Katharine Hart. We say good bye and thank you to Nikki Jennings who has enjoyed her time with the Club immensely and who can always to asked to come along on the day the kids go to Gibbs Cay!
We wish all current and former members of the Children’s Club and their families a very Merry Christmas and all the very best for the New Year.
- Published in A Day at the National Museum, Children's Club News
Charming Charms and other Goodies
Sunday, 16 November 2014
With our all new exhibits and recent “facelift” we decided to reconfigure the shop, making the books easier to see and browse.
There are TCI history and slave history section, a cookbook and craft section and a dive/ocean section and a bird section!
New ornaments and key chains with a nautical theme to go with our new exhibits. We have some new charms, key chains, and ornaments to go with our new exhibits.
They’ll make great stocking suffers or a fun memento of your visit. Come by, say hello, and see what else is new in the gift shop!
- Published in A Day at the National Museum, Museum News
The Tele Booth “Lands” at the Museum
Sunday, 16 November 2014
By Pat Saxton, Director
The antique tele box being placed with the help of Olympic Construction, Seamus Day and Neil Saxton.
On this past Wednesday evening Seamus called to tell me could deliver the UK phone booth Friday morning! Great news…but…where to put it? Fortunately, Neil Saxton knew exactly what to do and got to work leveling the space between the donkey cart and the flag pole in front of the Museum. First job was to pull out all the aloe plants (aloe, aloe, aloe ..some (UK) Dr. Who humor).
Luckily we had some new pavers left over so they were put down, leveled and then filled in with soil. On Friday morning the Olympic sky track came with the phone booth, after a bit of maneuvering it was gently put into place. It weighs about 500 pounds and is cast iron. Most of the hard work to restore has been done by sandblasting, so now we just have to get some replacement glass, cherry red tele paint, and telephone window signs. Then wait for a visit from …. Dr. Who!
All it needs is paint, glass, and signs. Stop by the museum and see our newest attraction.
- Published in A Day at the National Museum, Museum News
A Visit to North and Middle Caicos
Tuesday, 04 November 2014
Mr. Alton Higgs on North Caicos in 2011. Photo courtesy Times of the Islands, Siri White photographer.
By Candianne Williams
I recently visited North Caicos and Middle Caicos with Bryan Naqqi Manco, my very able guide. It was a great experience because I was able to see first-hand traditional Caicos lifestyle and visit with a number of the older residents.
I was enthralled by 94 year old Mr. Higgs. He shared some of his knowledge of bush medicine with us. He had an outdoor oven in his yard that he used up until recently, so it was great to see that.
We also visited quite a few basket weavers and fortunately two of them were actually weaving. Many belong to the older generation and they complain that they are no longer strong enough to go into the fields to collect grass themselves. Regardless of where the grass comes from, the baskets are works of art and each one an individual treasure. They are for sale in the Museum gift shop and we hope you will support our local basket weavers by buying several.
- Published in A Day at the National Museum
Footsteps4Good Charity Walk
Tuesday, 04 November 2014
Jill Beckingham, Governor Peter Beckingham’s wife, has helped to raise more than $25,000 for charity by walking more than 100km across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Scores of residents, young and old, joined Mrs. Beckingham during her Footsteps4Good walk across five of the country’s six inhabited islands.
Mrs. Jill Beckingham with Footsteps4Good supporters and participants. Photo courtesy Turks & Caicos Weekly News
And it was all for a great cause as walkers and supporters pledged thousands for their favorite TCI charity while getting fit and having fun in the process.
The walk began in Grand Turk on October 25, then onto South Caicos, Middle and North Caicos, Salt Cay, ending on Providenciales on October 31. On Saturday, November 1, Mrs. Beckingham finished with a major walk and run organized by Provo Road Runners from IGA to Blue Haven in Leeward.
The Museum collected $1,737.00 in donations from the walk! Thank you Mrs. Beckingham!
- Published in A Day at the National Museum, Museum News
Hot and Spicy in the Gift Shop
Thursday, 16 October 2014
We are about to heat things up at Guinep House Museum Gift Shop with Sakaja Gourmet Pepper Sauce. It’s 100% local, all natural, great tasting and oh so exotic!
Sakaja Ltd., founder Delano Handfield has made his dream of producing a line of local food products a reality and puts his heart and soul into the creation of these exotic sauces so that you can experience the flavor of the Turks and Caicos.
So come visit us today and try either the Super-Hot “Ghost” flavor, the Hot Exotic “Papaya Special” or mild “Blue Hills Breeze”. See you soon!!!!
- Published in A Day at the National Museum
Birding Guides Unveiled at TCNM
Friday, 13 June 2014
A new set of guides to bird watching in the TCI were unveiled at the Providenciales, Grace Bay branch of the Turks & Caicos National Museum on July 12, 2014. The guides are designed to help extend the TCI’s tourism offer year round, especially on its less populated islands. They were jointly created by the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum (UKOTCF) and the TCI National Museum. Read more about it at: https://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/birding-guides-to-extend-turks-and-caicos-islands-visitor-season
- Published in A Day at the National Museum, Museum News
Water Wise Garden Exhibit Opens
Friday, 13 June 2014
The new wise water garden exhibit demonstrates rainwater harvesting from roofs, garden irrigation and use of native and other medicinal plants adapted to local conditions at the Museum’s historically accurate recreation of a typical 1800s Caicos family dwelling. The new exhibit was featured at a grand opening on June 12, at the Providenciales branch of the Turks & Caicos National Museum. To read more about it https://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/wise-water-garden-opens-at-turks-and-cacios-national-museum
Brian Naqqi Manco explaining the “three sisters” crop system used by both the original Taino Indian inhabitants and again in the post-plantation era.
- Published in A Day at the National Museum, Museum News
