We had such an amazing time seeing Driggsby, a Whale’s Tale exhibition at Tullie House!

The exhibition is a result of a partnership project between us and Tullie House Museum, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The exhibition tells the story of Driggsby the Fin Whale as imagined by school children from West Cumbria and is brought to life with puppets, props, animations and a soundscape.

Exhibition highlights include;

  • Meet Driggsby and her underwater friends, the mermaid, narwhal and sea turtle
  • Brave the dark tunnel with its stinging plants and scary shadows
  • Journey to the North Pole, but watch out for the fire in the water
  • Be inspired by Driggsby’s story and the children’s drawings and create your own drawings
  • Make your own pledge to Driggsby to reduce your plastic pollution.

The exhibition is based on a wonderful illustrated storybook which has been created by Early Years and Key Stage 1 pupils from the west coast, based on their exploration of the life of Driggsby the fin whale, who washed up on Drigg beach and is now on display at the museum. The pupils explored life in our oceans, discovered how Driggsby might have journeyed to Cumbria and learnt why whales have been the inspiration for many myths and legends.

During the 18-month project, the children conducted beach cleans led by Workington Nature Partnership and saw for themselves how much rubbish can be found on our coastline. They left with a greater understanding and appreciation for the environment and are keen to spread the message that, in their own words, “The ocean is not a bin!”

Our artists really enjoyed working with the children to produce this amazing work. It was fascinating getting the children’s views on such an emotive and important subject, then getting to transform those thoughts and their artwork into pieces for this exhibition.

The exhibition will be supported by a range of activities for schools, teachers and families. It will run throughout the summer to give families a fun and safe place to visit.

Visit Tullie House Website for more information about the exhibition

For more information on the project visit our Driggsby Page