iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

That'll keep the rain off. We are hugely grateful to the Sizewell C Community Foundation and to Museum Development South East, whose grants have funded the restoration of our Archive Store roof, and to Ian Culf for the splendid work.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Herds of Citroens & Stags swept majestically across our museum yards last Sunday. Wonderful to see these beautiful cars in the glorious Spring sunshine.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

Whatever the Romans had instead of a Surrey with a fringe on top, it was coming this way according to this floor fragment in Museu de Menorca (here on important fact finding mission).

Fragment of Roman era tile floor, depicting a goose and a duck a-scurrying.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 16/05/2025

When you think your newly surfaced car park is pretty snazzy, then these amazing creatures turn up to really make the place look tidy.

Three classic Alvis motor cars gracing the car park at the Long Shop Museum.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

When you've spent the last six months refurbishing, refreshing, and reinventing your museum, this is the sort of visitor feedback that makes it all worthwhile.

An immensely gratifying extract from our visitor book. The entry describes the museum as 'amazing', 'overwhelming', and a 'MUST SEE' 😁

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

One of the more obvious elements of our restoration work. Our glorious re-gilded weathervane shows off its shimmer against a Spring Suffolk sky!

Gilded weathervane featuring silhouettes of a steam engine, a threshing machine, and four ploughs. The Garrett lioness sits proudly atop it all.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 08/05/2025

We're open! Apologies for the period of radio silence, we were preoccupied with preparations for reopening after five months of refurbishment work.

Polished brass hubcap of a traction engine wheel reflecting the image of the West end of the Long Shop.

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Fishbourne Roman Palace @romanpalace.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

Well done! You earned this. (sound on) Now, if we get 100, we'll make him play The William Tell Overture on his massive bald head.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

Thanks to the largesse of the Rolo elves 😉, I have come into possession of these uber-cool things. @BarnsleyMuseums.bsky.social Top Trumps! The recommended age is 6+, but I had supervision, and had a cracking time learning about Barnsley's FIVE awesome museums!

Open and poorly fanned deck of Top Trumps cards alongside red and transparent plastic case.

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Garrett Trolleybus No.26 @trolleybus-no26.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

A short time-lapse film of returning the restored body back on the chassis. 3 years work led up to this milestone moment. Once again No.26 is sitting its wheels and starting to look like a trolleybus again. But there is still a ways to go before we are done.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Dear Auntie Merchy, how can I feel more confident when on the same platform as gorgeous content such you and that wonderful @romanpalace.bsky.social? I'm a geeky 6, surrounded by awesome 10's. I get so self-conscious and tongue-tied. You're so cool and funny, I hope that you can help me.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 22/03/2025

On this day in 1774, Mary Cooper published a book of English nursery rhymes. It included 'Baa Baa Black Sheep', which is thought to reference a tax on the wool trade, imposed in 1275.

An illustration in Mother Goose's Melody from 1765. A black sheep standing close to three full wool sacks.

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Jools Wilson @bearsgetcrafty.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Here are some doggos for your Friday morning. From Painting Poems by Julie Anna Douglas. Illustrated by me.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

@museumbums.bsky.social hardly an exemplar posterior, but interesting tats.

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The Linnean Society of London @linneansociety.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

📖 Learn the origins of the notebook, its early importance to medieval Italy, and its adoption by the thinkers of the renaissance, the scientific revolution and the enlightenment. 7 March, at the Linnean Society. Don't miss out on tickets! Follow the link below: www.eventbrite.co.uk...

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

So, last night a little film about the museum made it's debut at the 1st Leiston Community Film Festival (soon to eclipse Sundance 😂). Lovely, inspiring evening full of hopes, dreams, and community spirit. dahlia-decagon-jg28.squarespace.com/services

Printed wooden award recognising the Long Shop Museum's involvement in Leiston's first Community Film Festival.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

It's National Flirting Day! Victorian singletons found an opportunity for playfully sexual badinage in the viewing of albums of home-made photo-collage art. Any flirting rituals from other eras?

Victorian Photo-collage. A simple card base drawn to look like a drawing room. Overlaid on this are hand-cut pictures of ladies, furniture and wall-hung artwork. Credit: Smithsonian American Art Museum

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

Actual photo of me dealing with all the tripe that this Friday has chosen to fling at me.

Black and white image of a gallant naval officer being inundated along with his ship as circumstances seem to have taken an unfortunate turn.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

Is everyone OK? In meetings most of yesterday, but it appears a few of you had some sort of identity crisis.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

That feeling when a book that you pre-ordered over six months ago, and had forgotten about, turns up in your letterbox. 🤗 📔

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Merchant Adventurers’ Hall @merchantshallyork.org · 12/02/2025

The weather is tres gloomy and it's cold so we are looking to warmer days and bluer skies. Here's the Hall looking rather lovely on a summer's day. You are welcome. 😘

We are looking at the most beautiful timber framed building set in a luscious garden with green trees, grass and bushes. The sky is blue and the sun is shining on the building.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

We've been informed that today is 'Lost Penny' Day. In recognition of which:

A George III penny. A heavily worn and deeply patinated coin bearing the head of George III. This would have been in circulation at the time of the foundation of the Garrett Works in 1778. Found in Leiston in 2015, now in the Long Shop Museum's collection.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

As we segue into the late evening here in the UK, I'd just like to thank everyone who got on board with the #superbowl / #superb #owl thing today - particularly the sustained and inspired nonsense from @romanpalace.bsky.social and @yorkadventurers.bsky.social - thanks for a fun afternoon! 😁

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

Here's our super bowl! An injection moulded hand wash bowl, produced as an example of the products that could be made using the S & S moulding machines that were built by Garrett Engineering in the 1970's. Impressive, we think, but no half-time show.

A shallow orange plastic bowl for hand washing, with a small indented surface at the edge for a bar of soap.

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The Essex Witch Museum @essexwitchmuseum.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Only 4 more followers until we reach the Devil's number 😈🤘 #WitchSky #Devil #NumberOfTheBeast

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

No chopsticks in our collection. But we do have some very fine ESP cutlery from the Garrett Works canteen. Still searching for a copy of a 1950's canteen menu.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

It's National Chopsticks Day! Originating in China around 1700 BCE, chopsticks were initially cooking tools before becoming eating utensils by the Ming Dynasty. They spread to other countries and gained global popularity through trade and travel. What's your favourite thing to eat with them?

A plate of Hong Kong style sweet & sour chicken 😋

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

Don't forget! Today is Carrot Cake Day! So that's Monday fixed. 😋😁

Large slice of triple decker iced carrot cake on a plate.

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Royston Museum @roystonmuseum.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

Good morning! Your to do list for this morning: ✅ Wake Up 🟩 Stop scrolling 🟩 Vote for our "Royston by Night" postcard in the Hertfordshire Museum's Object of the Year Award 🟩 Have a coffee buff.ly/3WxIrdF

Photograph of a postcard on a white background. The postcard is solid black with a white boarder and the text "Royston, by night" in the bottom left hand corner.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

After the 87 grim days of January, welcome, everyone, to a February of just 20 'business' days. Stay focused, peeps, or it'll be March before we know it. 😁

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 27/01/2025

The 'Sizewell C Hoard' is a bundled of over 300 silver coins, wrapped in a sheet of lead and hidden on the boundary between two fields... what a find! Read more here - oxfordcotswoldarchaeology.org.uk/news/the-siz... 🏺

Map of the east of the UK with an icon marking the location of the Sizewell C Hoard and an open info box with details of the hoard.

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Fishbourne Roman Palace @romanpalace.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

Like this?

A close up of a sleeping golden retriever in the sun. Gawd he's a pretty boi. There is a small clump of snowdrop flowers right by his nose.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

If you have a few minutes to squander on informal learning, check out this cracking digital exhibition about the medicalization of childbirth.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

To everyone in the track of Eowyn's vicious heart - earnestly hoping to see you all safe and sound on the other side. Take great care, peeps.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

So, the blacksmith has arrived to remove our weathervane for much needed TLC. It's going to be straightened, strengthened, regilded and returned atop the Long Shop.

Large metal weathervane decorated with silhouettes of ploughs, a steam engine, and the Garrett lioness. The 'S' indicator letter is awry, due to an altercation with a large, fast moving seagull.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

"Ay, it's Larry. Watcha been up to my leopard?" "Hey, Lyle. Nuthin' much. Ate a guy's face off yesterday. That was pretty rad, I 'spose.

Fragment of the Orpheus Mosaic in Museo de Zaragoza. The scene slouch a leopard, a bear, and a tiger. They appear to be having a conversation.

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Medieval Military Medicine @medmilmedicine.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

Seeing this image was Terry the crossbowman’s first indication that he had a bald spot. He would go on to waste a fortune on products like ‘Gone Today, Hair Tomorrow’ and rarely ever took his helmet off in public again - 15th century, BnF Français 2644, f. 265r

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

Me and the four people that read my skeets

Five men, each preparing to sleep in a "four penny coffin", a relatively comfortable overnight billet for the Victorian homeless.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

This just in! Rare image of the skeleton of a Victorian factory roof. Experts have determined that the lath bone is connected to the... truss bone.

The roof of a long building from the 19th century. The tiles and felt have all been removed, revealing the laths and trusses that support the roof.

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Museum of Transport Greater Manchester @motgm.uk · 04/01/2025

We're open again from today, it'll be great if you come and see us some time. With effect from today, our admission prices are adult £7.50; student £6; disabled, free; accompanied children, free.

Two smart red Manchester buses stand inside the Museum of Transport. One bus is facing us, and one has its rear towards us. One that’s facing us has the destination ‘Belle Vue’ on the front.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 03/01/2025

@themerl.bsky.social #absoluteunit Seems as though boxy beasts were quite the thing in C.19 (from Henry Stephens' 'Book of the Farm', 1844).

Drawing of an absolute unit of an Ox. The main body of the animal resembles a rectangle, with the shoulders, chest, and rump 'well filled up'.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 31/12/2024

I worry equally about irreplaceable objects, and indispensable people.

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 29/12/2024

Charlie Brown's dog seems to have been turbulent...

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The Long Shop Museum @longshop.bsky.social · 29/12/2024

From here in the inter-shindig recovery lounge, I am bouyed by the fact that, in contrast to the other place, there are some thoughtful, funny, and eloquent souls at work here at the Blue Butterfly. May your shingle hang long and level.

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