Bristol Urban Sport Exhibition Opens at M Shed

Inside the Bristol Urban Sport exhibition

In October 2011 I started work on a unique project supporting five Bath Spa University History students to co-curate an exhibition called 'Bristol Urban Sport' at M Shed, in partnership with staff from Bristol Museums, Galleries and Archives and Bristol City Council.

Eight months later after a lot of hard work the exhibition opened on 22 May, coinciding with the Olympic Torch's arrival in Bristol. We attended the private view on 1 June which was a fantastic way to celebrate the project with lots of people who had contributed in some way.

Bristol Urban Sport explores the relationship between the fabric of the city and sport over the last 200 years. The exhibition reveals how the people of Bristol have manipulated both the natural landscape and man-made architecture for sporting activity.

The students interviewed a range of people from local groups and clubs and identified photographs, memorabilia, objects and film that is featured in the exhibition. They uncovered some fascinating stories along the way e.g. the first modern bungee jump from the Clifton suspension bridge.

Students Sam, Bethan, Alice and Hannah (we were missing Alex that day)

It's been a fantastic opportunity for them to learn about how an exhibition is put together, and develop lots of new skills. The best bit for me was seeing how excited and proud the students were when they first got a glimpse of their work on display in the gallery. I also really enjoyed working with the team at M Shed, spending time there and learning about the history of the city. Bristol is such a special place!
 
The exhibition runs until 9 September 2012 and is free to attend. A programme of events, talks and family activities will run alongside the exhibition. Please visit the M Shed website for further information.

I took this photo from the M Shed balcony during the private view

The student team in front of one of M Shed's iconic cranes on the harbour side