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1709 - 2009 – Celebrating 300 years of the Industrial Revolution |
The Innovation that sparked a Revolution
In 1709 Abraham Darby successfully smelted iron with coke at his Coalbrookdale furnace; this innovation led to iron-making on a massive scale. It changed the way of life for many millions of people and helped create the modern industrial world. This simple act kick started the Industrial Revolution.
300 Years – A Celebration
2009 will be a great year to visit Ironbridge as we celebrate this milestone anniversary; there will be a host of events and activities taking place around the Museums.
At Blists Hill Victorian Town witness the art & skill of the blacksmith at the Artistic Blacksmith Event in early August. The Coalbrookdale Gallery is the setting for a wonderful free exhibition of industrial art – drawn from the Museums’ own collections with other key works on loan.
March will see Enginuity host a Science and Technology Fair looking at themes linked to 2009 like new materials, scientific innovation and new technology. Visitors in late July can join us for a weekend of events including casting and the opening of a contemporary cast iron sculpture exhibition at the Coalbrookdale Festival. Later in the year, the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site Festival takes over central Ironbridge with market stalls, music and games.
Add to this an exhibition of the new archaeological research that has been uncovered around Darby’s original furnace and an international conference debating the world changing impact of the Industrial Revolution and you truly have a year of celebrations fit for such an historic anniversary.
2009 also marks important anniversaries for many other great icons of the West Midlands, such as Darwin, Wedgwood, Shakespeare and the Mini. Check out the following link for more information.
www.acelebrationofimagination.com
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