Knight at the Museum Review
Knight at the Museum, a new event run by the Shire of Caledon, welcomed students into the fold of medieval life and craft on the Friday of week one. The event was in collaboration with the Wardlaw Museum’s exhibit on the life of Mary, Queen of Scots. Although not a fully immersive experience, Knight at the Museum boasted displays of historic dress and music, as well as the opportunity to try out bookbinding, leatherworking, and letter locking.
Arriving well before 8, after a brief stop in the Red Gown, my friend and I joined a queue stretching well out onto the Scores. The crowd inside was dispersed throughout the museum, and made the Wardlaw feel jovial and alive, rather than packed. Live music played on various medieval instruments filled the halls on the ground floor, while the upper floor provided a calmer space with drinks and book stamping. Following the sound of the music, I found myself seated at the games table, where I was taught by a society member, Max, to play fox and hens, a Tudor game popular in royal courts. There were nine chicken pieces on the board, with one fox piece. The fox player was meant to catch chicken by jumping over them, while the chicken player’s goal was to corner the fox so it could not escape. We caught on quickly with my friend playing as the hens, while my lone fox chased them around the game board. After finally capturing the last hen, we moved on towards the craft tables. At times they were overwhelmed by demand, but ultimately the tables acted as a good taster for the kind of activities the Shire of Caledon usually puts on with their artisan guilds.
The exhibit itself overviewed the life of Mary, Queen of Scots, from becoming queen at only six days old to the events during her reign which made her into the ruler that became a historical icon. As an amateur historian and general museum nerd myself, I was especially interested in the look at Mary’s childhood and the display featuring the women who influenced her political ambitions and ideals. Other displays illustrated somewhat timely examples of Scotland’s ongoing conflict with England at the time, highlighting the economic impacts they had on everyday citizens of Mary’s Scotland.
Overall, the exhibit and its themes blended seamlessly with the activities provided by the Shire of Caledon, creating a robust atmosphere where neither aspect felt like an afterthought. The event also utilized a pay-what-you-can ticketing model, which I expect contributed to the student community’s high attendance, a system I hope future events run in collaboration with the University will continue to use. At the end of the night, as my friend and I pressed our locking seals onto our letters and rushed out of the door, back into the modern world, we left with our pockets full of keepsake crafts and our minds full of new memories. I would be very eager to see the Wardlaw collaborate with a student society again. It was perhaps the best five pounds I’ve ever spent on tickets in this town in terms of value and experience, especially as someone decidedly not of the clubbing type.
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