Caring for the Abbey: A curator’s story with Dr Susan Jenkins

Image: Queen's Galleries (Copyright: Dean and Chapter of Westminster)

Fifty feet above the magnificent nave of Westminster Abbey, with one of the most breath-taking views in London, is the home of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries.

No one knows more about the treasures they hold than our guest speaker, the Abbey’s curator Dr Susan Jenkins, FSA.

Situated in the medieval Triforium, the galleries house 300 precious items, among them royal funeral effigies which include Edward III, Henry VII, Mary I (who granted the Stationers their royal charter) and Elizabeth I.

 Also on display are the Liber Regalis, the 14th-century illuminated manuscript that serves as a definitive instruction manual for coronations, plus England’s oldest altarpiece.

Dr Jenkins will give a ‘behind the scenes’ lecture introducing the creation of new galleries, which were opened by the late Queen in 2018. She will look at some of the challenges involved in curating the museum and will discuss aspects of the design, object selection and conservation required to bring the Abbey’s award-winning permanent exhibition gallery to fruition.

Join Dr Jenkins in our lecture suite on the third floor at Stationers’ Hall, where wine and nibbles will be served. Demand for tickets will be high so early booking is essential as space is limited to 60 people. 

Alternatively, you can watch the lecture from home on our YouTube page by purchasing the code for our livestream link.

 Tickets:

£25 includes the lecture, wine, soft drinks and nibbles

£10 online / virtual only

Schedule:

6.30 PM Drinks and nibbles reception

7.00 PM Lecture begins in 3rd Floor Lecture Suite

7.50 PM Q&A

8.15 PM Event Ends