On Saturday we visited the Museum Of Film and Photography in Bradford. Matt had heard of an exhibition by Joan Fotcuberta called Stranger then Fiction. We were treated to wierd and wonderful creatures created by blending different animals together then photographed. Joan would then invent a Latin name and history for the animal. The viewer was left in state of near belief and disbelief looking at pictures of monkey/unicorn/owl hybrids and elephant/chinchillas in their natural habitat. Fotcuberta revels in not just the picture but the story that goes behind the image. Another part of the exhibition showed images of common religious iconography such as stigmata and levitation being proved real, or as real as the picure allowed you to imagine. Fantastic mountain landscapes and dramatic valleys and waterfalls, star encrusted skies and fabulous constellations made up another display. All amazingly believable and all utterly from the artists imagination. While Matt and I enjoyed the exhibition the children felt more at home in the museums magic section getting to play with concave mirrors and camera obscure and observing how different coloured light affects what you are viewing. Annie particularly enjoyed the history of TV when she and Sophie were able to discover the magic of the blue background and become part of Annie’s favourite TV show- teletubbies.

I recommend this museum as a great day out for all the family. There are plenty of displays and exhibits to keep everyone amused all day and it’s free. We didn’t use the imax cinema but have done in the past. A friend, who’s son is studying space in class, watched the huble telescope film and said it was amazing. “It felt like you really were in space”. Unfortunately for Sophie there were no exhibits on ancient China but maybe next time when go back in half term and look at the Shaun  the Sheep exhibition. Perhaps that’s an idea for Aardman?