New museum of fun calls on Blackpool children to help make history

Scores of Blackpool schools are joining forces to create a piece of history with a difference.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach is closed during the Covid-19 pandemicBlackpool Pleasure Beach is closed during the Covid-19 pandemic
Blackpool Pleasure Beach is closed during the Covid-19 pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic is believed to have been the first time in the history of Blackpool where the whole resort has paused. The first time that every attraction has been closed at the same time, the beaches and prom, cafes and shops empty.

In a bid to capture this for momentous period, teachers and pupils from 48 schools across the Fylde coast are working with a new museum to create a lockdown time capsule packed full of the innovative ways people have staying entertained during the pandemic

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Organisers have put a call out for childhood memories to be included in the capsule including TikTok dance videos, recorded raps and songs, poems, written letters, drawings, cartoons or even mini sculptures.

Blackpool as snapped by Sean Conboy for VisitBlackpoolBlackpool as snapped by Sean Conboy for VisitBlackpool
Blackpool as snapped by Sean Conboy for VisitBlackpool

The only proviso is that the submissions capture and help to explain to future museum visitors how people managed to stay entertained during the global crisis.

Showtown bills itself Blackpool’s first side-tickling, eye-popping, toe-tapping, mind-boggling museum of fun and entertainment.

Learning and engagement manager, Kerry Vasiliou said: "The lockdown has been tough on us all, especially the younger generation, but everyone has been keeping themselves entertained in unique ways.

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"Blackpool is the home of entertainment and so what better place to store a time capsule for future generations to uncover and see what this period of time was like through the eyes of children in the town, than in Blackpool’s first museum, Showtown."

Kerry said expert curators at Showtown did their research and discovered the town has never closed in entirety, even staying open throughout both world wars.

In fact, many people continued to visit the town throughout the Second World War and there was a huge number of military personnel based nearby.

The Illuminations might not have shone, but theatres, piers and entertainment complexes all remained open.

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She added: "We even found out that the Pleasure Beach added signs in Polish due to the large number of Polish soldiers stationed here.

"The Showtime Time Capsule will help to explain to future museum visitors just how we all kept our spirits high during this uncertain time and, we hope it creates a united bond that really lifts community spirits.”

Once collected, Showtown will store the pupils’ memories within the time capsule, which will be buried within the museum so, as the build progresses, their memories become part of the museum’s history."

As well as items from schools, Showtown will also accept memories from individual children in Blackpool.

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Ideas for memories range from a written letter to your future self or a rap/poem reminding you of this period to you discovered about your area of Blackpool on your daily walks.

To submit something for the time capsule contact [email protected] (with subject title: Showtown Time Capsule)

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