National Museums Liverpool Blog - competition

Beth Tweddle has signed a copy of the Museum of Liverpool book that we're giving away

Following Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle’s visit to the Museum of Liverpool yesterday, we have a little competition for you to enter.

During her visit, Beth signed a copy of the fabulous Museum of Liverpool book, Liverpool- the Story of a City. The book is illustrated with the collections in the Museum and celebrates Liverpool’s rich history and the people who have made the city what it is today. Beth is undoubtedly one of those individuals, as shown in her dedication and relentless determination.

To win the signed copy of the book you’ll need to watch this video and answer the question: where was our video interview with Beth filmed?

Send your answers, along with your name, postal address and phone number to: press@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk by midnight on Monday 18 March 2013. The winner will be drawn and notified on Tuesday 19 March 2013.

Beth, who trains and studied in Liverpool, visited the Museum of Liverpool yesterday to see a sculpture of her body on display, which was created by body cast sculptor Louise Giblin. Beth was also presented with her own edition of the piece which is called 'Olympian Series II – Beth Tweddle MBE'.

Beth is genuinely inspiring. Last year at her home games, she became the first British woman in history to win an Olympic gymnastics medal and the oldest female competitor to win a medal in gymnastics in nearly 50 years. Prior to this, Beth is a three-time World Champion, six-time European Champion, Commonwealth Champion and has won seven consecutive National Championships too.

Louise Giblin was inspired by Beth’s performance at the 2009 World Championships at London’s O2 Arena and has incorporated aspects into the bronze sculpture, such as the London Eye, leaping gymnasts and the Thames which weaves across the middle of the sculpture. If you take a look at the back of the sculpture you will see how Louise has used sweeping lines to create a spine and muscles which represent Beth’s strength and agility.

Michael Parkinson's Billy Fury show is at the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton for one night only on Sunday 1 April 2012.

We have five pairs of tickets up for grabs so all you need to do is answer this question: Whose favourite hat is next to Billy Fury's first guitar in the Liverpool Sound music exhibition in the Wondrous Place gallery of the Museum of Liverpool?

The Billy Fury statue close to the Museum of Liverpool on the city's waterfront

Email your answer, using this contact form.

Competition closes Sunday 25 March 2012.

Tickets are £12-50 and on sale at the Floral Pavilion's Box office or telephone 0151 666 0000 or via the Floral Pavillion website.

Good luck!

Looking up at the Museum of Liverpool's skylight. Copyright Pete Carr

If you have taken any photos of the museum recently then we'd love to see them. If you add them to the We love the Museum of Liverpool group on Flickr before 4 July then you could win golden tickets to a special breakfast celebration and preview on the opening day, 19 July 2011, from 8.30-10am.

There are lots of other ways to win golden tickets if you follow the Museum of Liverpool on twitter, facebook or subscribe to the e-newsletter. Full details of our golden ticket offers are on our website. You've only got until Sunday to take part though so don't miss out. You could be one of the very first visitors to set foot inside the building that everyone is talking about.

Dobby, outside World Museum, with Ryan and Holly Harper, who gave Dobby his name

My name is Dobby. I like salt and vinegar crisps. Nom nom! Anyway, I'm not supposed to talk about crisps I don't think. In fact, I need to tell you something very important. I have come here from a far away land to visit World Museum. Yes, I know! It's very exciting! In our land, we don't have museums or art galleries, so it's a very interesting and strange idea. You have lots of stuff from outside, from all over the world, in your museum. Weird!

I'm a bit scared too, as I've heard there are live animals roaming around. I watched this video, and the lady who works there looks terrified! However, I am a brave blob and intend to slime and groove my way around the museum and find out what all the fuss is about   Don't worry, I'll be on the look  out for strange animals and I can ooze into very small hiding places if I need to.

While, I'm here, I've been told to casually mention that I am the star of a new website just for kids. Yes, I am! Da daaa! It's true. Well, actually, I don't think they wanted me to tell you I'm the star, because my brother and sisters are on the website too. But don't worry about them. They're not as interesting or  green or as cool as me . I just hope they don't read this.     

You can see me (and them) for yourself at: www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/kids

Last year we invited you to share your pictures of spectacular scenery, unusual locations and far-flung destinations as part of our photography competition, inspired by the 'Endurance: Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure' exhibition. We teamed up with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic to give one lucky winner and three friends the chance to see the live orchestral & cinematic production, 'Polar'.

The quality of entries was exceptional, but we’re thrilled to report that the prize was won by Mr Bernard Bowler for his truly outstanding photograph, Skiddaw. Despite the apparent Antarctic conditions depicted, the picture was taken in the Lake District.

Communications Manager Dickie Felton explains:

“ Mr Bowler's stunning picture was taken on Skiddaw, Cumbria, but it's such an epic shot it could be the edge of the earth. The sloping edge looks like a sheer drop. It gives a sense that one false move and the tiny walkers, explorers, adventurers would be sent tumbling. The picture is vast and oozes with chilly atmosphere. What's also interesting is you have to look twice to see if it's a black and white or a colour photograph. I think, and I'm still not sure, that it is in fact colour. Is that a hint of orange in the distant sky beyond? A great picture worthy of winning our Shackleton competition. I hope that the brave figures on the slope had packed their Kendal mint cake.”

You can view more fabulous photo entries on Flickr. Mr Bowler has since contacted us to say his party had a very enjoyable evening at the Philharmonic Hall. 

If dramatic photography appeals to you, you’ve only got a couple of weeks left to visit Endurance: Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure. The exhibition at the Merseyside Maritime Museum comes to a close on 27 February. This really is a not-to-be-missed exhibition, featuring striking images that tell an unprecedented tale of peril and adventure.

The 'A Collector's Eye' catalogue

Just a few weeks to the opening of the next must-see exhibition at the Walker, 'A Collector's Eye: Cranach to Pissarro'. Old Masters like Rubens, El Greco, Delacroix and Cranach are included alongside Impressionists such as Pissarro and Sisley in a tour of five centuries of art.

If you can't make it to the exhibition, fancy doing a bit of reading in advance or just can't wait to visit, then the accompanying catalogue is for you. All of the exhibition works are featured, each with its own double page spread, and at £9.99 it's a snip at twice the price.

You can order your copy from our online shop, pick up one at either the Walker or Lady Lever Art Gallery shops, or if you're feeling lucky you could win a copy in our latest competition.

To enter just tell us the answer to this question using this contact form. (DON'T leave your answer as a comment - you won't be entered)

Q. The artist, Domenikos Theotokopoulos, is also known as...?

Competition closes at noon on Monday 14 February.

Open now at Merseyside Maritime Museum, Endurance: Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure tells the amazing story of Sir Ernest Shackleton's 1914 expedition to the vast continent of Antarctica, as told through the photographs taken of the voyage by Frank Hurley, who dove into icy waters to retrieve his negatives.

To celebrate this pioneering explorer spirit we want to see photos of your travels and explorations, whether from exotic destinations thousands of miles away or somewhere unusual closer to home. You don't have to brave the harsh conditions that Shackleton and his crew endured, just be imaginative!

Ice stalactites © Royal Geographical Society

Visit the Flickr competition page for more information on the competition and submission rules.

'Pandora' by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

We've got a beautiful new book to give away in our latest competition - I really wouldn't mind a copy myself.

British Watercolours and Drawings - Lord Leverhulme's Collection in the Lady Lever Art Gallery is more than 250 pages of wonderful images from the collection at Lady Lever. It includes work by Ford Madox Brown, Burne-Jones, Constable, Turner, Landseer, Millais, Rossetti and Reynolds, and is truly a celebration of British drawings and watercolours at their finest.

If you'd like to get your hands on your very own copy - and it would make a fab Christmas present if you decided not to keep it - just answer this question.

Q. British Watercolours and Drawings features this pastel, Pandora, by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Who was the model for Pandora?

   a. Jane Morris   
   b. Elizabeth Siddal
   c. Alexa Wilding

Send us your name, address and answer using this contact form. The deadline for entries is noon on 12th November.

And as ever, if you don't win a copy remember that you can buy it in our online book shop.

Updated: Don't forget to enter via the contact form and not through the comments box.  

We've a few copies of the John Moores Painting Prize catalogue to give away in our latest competition. Each has been signed by the competition winner - Keith Coventry - and is a real collector's item.

To be in with a chance of winning just answer this easy peasy question:

The 2010 catalogue features the five prize winners from another John Moores competition which is in its inaugural year. In which Chinese city did that competition take place?

Send us your answer with your name and address using this contact form. The deadline for entries is noon on Friday 29 October, 2010.

If you’re not lucky enough to win a copy, you can buy your own at our online shop.