Record visitor numbers at the City Experience

It's
been a busy month at the City Experience, and the museum is now
preparing to host an extensive exhibition of paintings covering the
2007/08 season at the club. 

December was an eventful time at the
Museum & Stadium Tour, with City Santa spending two weekends at the
attraction and a couple of Commentator’s Tours featuring Ian Cheeseman,
Nigel Gleghorn and Alistair Mann.

These events helped the
Museum & Stadium Tour record its highest ever number of visitors
for December. With many people feeling the financial pressure this time
of year brings, December is often a quiet month for attractions with an
admission fee, and so the museum’s December total number of visitors
was an impressive 2,228 - around double the figures recorded in 2006,
2005 & 2004.

The
Museum & Stadium Tour has now attracted over 96,000 since its
opening and it is anticipated to welcome its 100,000th visitor in March.

The
next main exhibition to be staged at the Museum is a collection of
renowned artist Ben Kelly’s City work, which will open next month - pictures right and above.

In
2007 Ben was commissioned by City to create a series of paintings
during the 2007-08 season.  This artwork, together with sketch
material, will be on display to all museum visitors.

Ben has been
delighted with the experience: “Football is the perfect subject to
paint, where else can emotions change from triumph to despair in the
space of ninety minutes. The passion imbued from the Club's fans
captured through their devotion and hope. 

"The focus of my
project with City was always going to be from the supporters'
perspective as they represent the fabric of the Club. The key themes
explored in the body of work are the expectancy and excitement of going
to the match; supporters pre match rituals as they arrive at the
stadium from all corners of the country; and the characters I came
across on match days, from Grandfathers explaining their love of Maine
Road to Grandchildren, Invisible men having a pint together...  a truly
surreal experience."

For more information on Ben's career see his website www.benkellyland.co.uk.