File:Day 15 - Object Handling (7988880860).jpg

Object Handling at The Manchester Museum

Object handling at the Manchester Museum is a well established and important service that is provided by Museum volunteers. There are currently four themed handling tables in the museum's galleries; Money, Egyptology, Living Planet, and Manchester.

The Manchester Museum is forward thinking in its engagement with the public. Through object handling volunteers engage members of the public with original objects and specimens from the museum's collection, telling stories about these objects and creating a dialogue with the visitor. This allows visitors of all ages and backgrounds to fully engage with different subjects and the opportunity to handle part of the museum's collection, which provokes conservation and learning.

Ming Banknote

The banknote pictured, encased in perspex for conservation, is from the Hongwu reign (1368-1398), Ming dynasty. These were issued in various mints in China, Japan and Vietnam. Its denomination is one string (equal to 1000 cash coins), It is made from mulberry bark paper.

The note is fully printed on only one side by a woodblock stamp in black ink. It is decorated with dragons (one is the most important symbol of emperors) around the text boxes and the Chinese texts are read from top to bottom and right to left. Two square stamps with red ink also appear on the top and bottom. In China, it is customary to sign documents with stamps (such as paintings, official documents, even today's banknotes), rather than the use of signatures in the West.

The text at the bottom of the note reads;