Pirates and piracy hold an enduring fascination but who were the real life Jack Sparrows and Ann Bonnys – thieving criminals or entrepreneurial privateers?
Mixed-media presentations and hands-on activities showcased the stories of piracy and smuggling through the ages, across the globe and in the South West.
- What drove the men and women involved in piracy and what were the dangers and risks of being caught?
- What is the difference between pirates, privateers and smugglers?
- How do we understand what are the modern-day equivalents of piracy and plunder?
- Is it bio-prospecting on the high seas or deep jungles, heritage crime or people smuggling?
Children learnt more about the role and lives of pirates by following an interactive Treasure Island hunt searching for clues among the exhibits and playing games to navigate their way round and find the treasure, finishing in a virtual reality green-room experience to give a sense of being on a real pirate ship and/or speculating on marine resources at the bottom of the ocean.