BBC Radio 4’s The Life Scientific embarks on an extraordinary voyage into history and science with a special episode recorded in front of an audience at the Mary Rose Museum.
Professor Jim Al-Khalili sits down with Dr Eleanor Schofield, Director of Collections at the Mary Rose Trust, to explore the personal motivations and pivotal career choices that brought her to the forefront of heritage science — and the groundbreaking discoveries that have helped preserve Henry VIII’s iconic warship.
The event takes place on Tuesday 5th August with the doors opening from 6pm for a 6.30pm start. Tickets are only £10 and include exclusive after-hours access to the Museum following the recording — offering a rare opportunity to explore the ship and its remarkable artefacts in an intimate setting. There will be time for an audience Q&A session after the interview and guests can enjoy wine and hot drinks throughout the evening at an extra cost.
Dr Schofield said: “As a fan of the show, I am so excited to chat to Jim about my life and career. Doing so from the Mary Rose Museum, which has been such a huge part of both, is the icing on the cake.”
Listeners and guests will get to discover the pioneering techniques used to combat centuries of degradation, how chemistry and conservation intersect, and what it takes to lead a world-class preservation project.
“There is always an additional spice to recording The Life Scientific in front of a live audience,” said Professor Al-Khalili. But it is not often that the venue for the outside broadcast is also the home turf of both my guest and me. The Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth, housing the remarkable wreck of Henry VIII’s famous ship, is both the workplace of Eleanor Schofield and a few minutes’ walk away from my home in Southsea. I just hope there isn’t too much friendly heckling from any audience members that happen to know me!”
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