Roll up, roll up, because Blackpool has just opened its first museum, and it’s a heady celebration of the circus, as well as a look at the whole history of British seaside entertainment.
Showtown tells the story of the history of the nation’s first mass seaside resort and the impact it had on the birth of modern entertainment in this country. Six gallery spaces, filled with displays and interactive games, explore ideas of seaside, illuminations, fun and dance, with objects also loaned from the V&A.
Blackpool, and seaside resorts in general, haven’t had a great time of it lately. Holidays abroad have become increasingly affordable, while prices in the UK have done nothing but go up; combine that with the difference in weather between Blackpool and, you know, Spain, and you have a recipe for UK tourism disaster. Who’d choose Bognor over the Algarve? Our seaside towns have been abandoned, left derelict and dilapidated.
But Showtown is part of a wider regeneration program in Blackpool that will see extensive investment in the town’s tourism infrastructure, so things are on the up. Here are a few pics of the museum.
Showtown is open now, tickets are free for residents, but £15 for tourists. More details here.
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