Reviews
No.1 Smithery, Historic Dockyard Chatham
The maritime models are the stars of this ambitious partnership between an independent museum and two nationals, writes Caroline Worthington
Behind the Scenes at the Museum of Baked Beans: My Search for Britain’s Maddest Museums
Tim Bryan welcomes a book that celebrates Britain's unique museums and their collections
Bury Transport Museum
This high-quality conversion needs a little more noise and activity to make the museum a must-visit, says Tim Bryan
Chatsworth, Derbyshire
An extensive facelift has allowed Chatsworth to strengthen its image of timeless traditional values, says Nicky Ryan
Opening this month
From Damien Hirst's conceptual work to Ottavio Leoni's baroque portraits, Geraldine Kendall selects the pick of November's new exhibitions
Books: Nature and Culture: Objects, Disciplines and the Manchester Museum
Timothy Mason is impressed by a very readable history of Manchester Museum
All Aboard: Stories of War at Sea, Imperial War Museum North, Salford
Mark Suggitt thinks this exhibition on life at sea during wartime engages visitors, despite a couple of missed opportunities
Opening this month
Geraldine Kendall selects the pick of October's new exhibitions in the north-west to coincide with the Museums Association's conference in Manchester
Industrial Revolutionaries: People Who Shaped the Modern World, Harris Museum & Art Gallery, Preston
A strong narrative and good design make this exhibition a success, although Sharon Heal wanted to see a little more passion
Origins Gallery, Stockport Story Museum, Stockport
Geraldine Kendall visits a revamped gallery that tells the story of Stockport's origins, but underplays its trump card