Today marks the 100th anniversary of Bram Stoker’s death. Although best known as the author of ‘Dracula’, Stoker was a keen theatre enthusiast and during his career worked as a personal assistant to actor Henry Irving and, later, as business manager of the Lyceum Theatre. He was also part of the literary staff of the Daily Telegraph, and had a strong interest in science, medicine and the occult. Here at the De Morgan Centre, we know Stoker as one of the lucky few who had the chance to interview the quiet and reserved William De Morgan.
Any museum professional worth their salt can tell you that feedback from visitors is absolutely essential to the development of a worthwhile, enjoyable gallery. At the De Morgan Centre we keep a comment book at reception and visitors are always encouraged to write a note to let us know what we're doing right and what they particularly enjoyed. It also gives them an opportunity to let us know if anything didn't meet their expectations, so that we can aim to improve.
As beautiful as the paintings and ceramics in our gallery are, there are just as many fascinating objects and documents in our archive at the De Morgan Centre. It’s a real treat to come across a note or letter that reveals some of the character of the person behind the art.
We always like to welcome younger visitors here at the De Morgan Centre, and this week has been particularly exciting – we’ve had a school visit, and also the opportunity to debut our children’s Activity Trails for the first time since we’ve re-opened.
We often have visitors enquire where else they can see William De Morgan works on display and in situ. De Morgan's tiles can be seen in many houses throughout the country, and often pop up in unexpected places, but did you know there are some unique De Morgan tiles on display in a small memorial, right in the heart of London? This treasure can be found in Postman's Park.