The Story Museum is set to launch an exciting new exhibition centered around dragons, curated by none other than former Children’s Laureate, Cressida Cowell. Located on Pembroke Street in Oxford, the exhibition, titled “Here be Dragons,” is scheduled to open on July 13 and will be open until July 2025.
Cowell, renowned for the bestselling How To Train Your Dragon series, has expressed her enthusiasm about the initiative, emphasizing the significance of spaces like the Story Museum in cultivating children’s excitement for reading.
The exhibition promises to explore the enduring fascination with dragons across different cultures, featuring artifacts dating back thousands of years, as well as some intriguing “real dragon bones” gathered from various sources.
Visitors can look forward to a captivating journey through a cave to discover the diverse range of dragons, including notable figures like the Soup Dragon from the beloved TV show The Clangers. Interactive activities such as dragon racing and exploration of the museum’s treasure chamber are also on the agenda.
Cowell touched upon the allure of dragons, expressing her belief that their appeal lies in the tantalizing idea of their potential existence and their representation of the wild on a map. She further emphasized that writing about dragons has been a means of exploring humanity’s relationship with nature, the unknown, and the spiritual.
Highlighting the importance of places like the Story Museum in kindling children’s enthusiasm for reading, Cowell reiterated the joyful and exciting nature of books, underscoring their role in shaping children’s experiences and imaginations.
