A new and insightful exhibition at Newarke Houses Museum opened-up to the public on Saturday 1st July.
With the discovery of the body of King Richard III, there has been an increasing interest in Leicester’s 2000 year history.
Using archive images, archaeology and oral history, ‘Changing Leicester’ will explore how the face of the city has changed since World War Two and how people’s attitudes to heritage have changed in the last 70 years.
The free exhibition will look at the role of controversial post-war planner Konrad Smigielski and his radical plans for the city, as well as how archaeologists and conservationists have protected our heritage in an era of massive development.
Smigielski was a city council planning officer in the 1960s, when major changes were made to Leicester city centre, including the addition of flyovers, underpasses and the inner ring road.
The exhibition, which runs until 10th September, will feature objects that have never been displayed before, alongside images and memories of Leicester landmarks that have been lost and found.
The ‘Changing Leicester’ project is a partnership between Leicester City Council and the Leicestershire Archaeological & Historical Society (LAHS), and is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
Cllr Piara Singh Clair, assistant city mayor responsible for culture, leisure and sport said: “Thanks to our partnership approach, Leicester Arts and Museums has been able to create an excellent exhibition about Leicester’s development since the war; the heritage we’ve lost and found and the story of how our citizens have worked to save many of the buildings we love.”
Yolanda Courtney of LAHS said: “We were delighted to receive the funding from HLF and think that we’ve put together an exhibition and events programme that people from Leicester and further afield will find stimulating and informative – the years since 1945 have seen great changes in our city, it’s a fascinating story.”
‘Changing Leicester’ also includes an extensive programme of free events taking place over the summer, featuring family activities, talks and lectures, heritage walks, photography exhibitions, sketching sessions and audio tours. Details of events are available from www.storyofleicester.info/ChangingLeicester
