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Richard III visitor centre boss sets out his vision

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One of the newly appointed creative directors for the Richard III visitor centre has set out his vision for how the exhibition will become an award-winning attraction. David Masters has been handed the task of producing a world-class attraction at the former Leicester Grammar School, in Peacock Lane. He will share the role of creative director with Phil Songhurst, his colleague from design and consultancy firm Imagemakers Genevieve Adkins, of the University of Highlands and Islands, in Perth, Scotland, is to become interpretation specialist for the centre. Together they plan to transform the empty building into the Richard III visitor centre, which will open early next year. David said: "It's very early, but the ambition is to create an extraordinary visitor experience which tells the complete story of Richard III, including his discovery, and puts Leicester on the map as a city with great heritage. "The first thing is to get the building design right so it's welcoming and easily accessible. "Then comes the creative content, such as displays, films and interactive features." He said the temporary exhibition at the Guildhall is a modest example of how he envisions the new centre to look. "Our ambition is to create an award-winning centre. "We want to attract people who wouldn't normally visit museums or exhibitions - Richard III has grabbed people in a way that other historical finds haven't done for a while." The plans include constructing a small building around the original grave, which was excavated by University of Leicester archaeologist, in August, last year. David said: "By the time people get to the grave side, in the car park, we want them to have a much more contemplative and spiritual experience." The site was bought by the council last year for £850,000. The centre will include the story of Richard and the Wars of the Roses. Other exhibitions will feature the details of the archaeological dig and the scientific process of identification. "We want to tell people about the miracle of the story," said David, who has worked with organisations such as the Heritage Lottery Fund, National Trust and English Heritage. He added: "The odds of finding him were huge - he'd been buried for 500-years and survived all of the construction and building going on around him. "We also want to show the passion that the Richard III Society invested in the project." Creative team member, Genevieve Adkins, has been appointed as an interpretation specialist. She said: "I am really looking forward to working on the Richard III project, having previously helped transform some of the UK's most visited heritage sites, including the Tower of London, Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle, which was recently voted the UK's best heritage attraction by Which? members." City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: "The new visitor centre will be at the heart of the Richard III story in the city, and I am delighted that we've now got the creative expertise needed to bring the story to life." Dozens of people marched through York to show their support for bringing the remains of Richard III back to the historic northern city on Monday. About 100 people dressed in Medieval clothing paraded with flags and banners in support of a campaign to have the Plantagenet monarch reinterred in York. The march was led by the king's 16th great grandniece, who said she was on a "moral crusade". Campaigner Vanessa Roe is also part of the Plantagenet Alliance - a group of 15 people claiming to be related to King Richard, who have launched a legal battle to prize the remains away from Leicester. The case is expected to start some time this week and will be heard in the High Court, in London. The Alliance claim that the exhumation licence issued by the Ministry of Justice, which gives the University of Leicester the power to bury the former king at Leicester Cathedral, should be revoked.

Richard III visitor centre boss sets out his vision


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