The Shakespeare Memorial Room
The new Library of Birmingham is a stunning, huge, modern building (usually I would never use beautiful and modern together to describe something, but they really did a lovely job with the library). New. Shiny. Geometrical. The Library of Birmingham exudes new money and has a style which will still be modern and beautiful in decades to come. However, on the eighth floor, hides a room which is so opposite to the rest of the building, you wonder if you’ve stumbled into another world.
When you walk in, the first thing you notice are that lining the walls are old style wooden cabinets, with intricate wood carvings and light entering the room by sky lights.
Though the room wasn’t very big, it was filled with Shakespeare-related “memorabilia”, if you will. It was very hard to take photos in the room: the light was awful and since everything was locked behind glass within the cabinets, it was hard to take a photo without an awful reflection blighting it. I managed to take a few okay photos though, which give a feel for what the room contained.
The room really set off its contents well, and there was detail everywhere. But the wooden carvings in the cabinets and the doors really grabbed my attention. The whole room was stunning, and I just wish the lighting had been better! Maybe another day and another time will allow me to take more photos of that room. Sigh.
ReenRah 