Banksy: Model stable brings Peterborough Museum record success

A miniature stable created by Banksy and placed at a seafront attraction has helped a museum get record visitor numbers.

The tiny building appeared at Merrivale Model Village in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, on 6 August, during the artist's 'Great British Spraycation'.

It was loaned to Peterborough Museum for an urban art exhibition.

The museum said, despite Covid, it had its "most successful Christmas and new year period ever".

The stable, which depicts with Banksy's name and the words "go big or go home" appeared at the model village in secret overnight.

Merrivale's owner, Frank Newsome, previously revealed how the artist used diversion tactics to leave his work at the venue.

The seaside attraction subsequently placed it in a protective box and put it on display at certain times during the day, before it went to the museum.

The Urban Exhibition opened on 11 December and includes original works by major international artists including Damien Hirst, My Dog Sighs, Blek le Rat as well as other work by Banksy.

City Culture Peterborough, who run the museum, said it had 1,156 visitors through its doors in the week after Christmas, compared to an average of 775 visitors over the same week in previous years.

Curator, Sheena Carman, said that having Banksy's work - such as the model cottage - featured in the exhibition, had "certainly contributed to [its] success" and it had been "really great to see, so many people of different age groups" visiting.

"We were obviously a little bit worried about how Covid was going to affect visitor numbers but it certainly hasn't shown any kind of effect yet so we've been really pleased," she said.

"Visitors have fed back to us how amazing it is to find artists like Banksy and Damien Hirst in Peterborough.

"Banksy is a household name and having his work in the museum has been a real draw, people of all ages are intrigued and want to come and see his work in the 'flesh'."

The exhibition runs until May but the cottage from the model village is only on display until Wednesday before it goes to auction.

Ms Carman said it would be replaced with more Banksy's.

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