The first time I went to The Last Tuesday Society it was for an evening of Absinthe tasting whilst getting up close and personal with all kinds of wonderful scaly beasts, I think at one point I had a snake cuddling my neck, a bearded dragon balanced on my chest and a chameleon perched on my finger, that night the Victor Wynd museum of curiosities that lurks beneath the quirky cocktail bar was closed so I jumped at the chance to go back for the launch night of the temporary exhibit from Cornwall’s Museum Of Witchcraft and to finally see the permanent collection in the basement.
The Museum Of Witchcraft was founded by Cecil Williamson and opened in 1951 in Castletown, Isle Of Man and was moved to is’s current location in Boscastle, Cornwall in 1960 and through various gifts and acquisitions over the years the collection has grown to be the largest of its type in the world.
The exhibition in London features photographs and a mix of magical objects including a witch mirror, like something straight from the evil queens lair in Snow White, a wax poppet, spells, charms, a fortune telling tea cup and items from a black magicians alter, scary!
After a couple of complementary Hendrik’s gin & tonics from Victor Wynd himself I descended the spiral staircase to feast my eyes upon the wonders that lay below.
Wow, what a collection, erotica, taxidermy, fairies, shrunken heads, a mummified penis and apparently Kylie’s poo although I’m pretty sure that can’t be real, I mean, Kylie doesn’t poo right?
The Museum Of Witchcraft exhibition is running until the end of February so don’t worry if you’re too busy with Christmassy stuff this month, there’s still a time to catch it in the new year.
Dani Thompson 