banksy exhibition, bristol

pavlovs_dog

I'd like to go see this before it disappears, but I read on a BBC article that the queues to get in are pretty horrific.

does anyone have any insight as to how early the queues start to form and if weekdays are noticably quieter than weekends inspite of the school holidays?

many thanks,

pavlov :beer:

Savvy_Sue

Sorry pavlov have only just seen this. If it helps, they are staying open until 8 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

My advice: if you have a pregnant or disabled friend, bring them. They don't have to queue! :rotfl: If you don't have one of them, bring sandwiches and a drink! :rotfl:

We went on Thursday. It HAD been our intention to be there at 9.30 am (opens at 10) but it didn't quite work out like that, which was probably just as well because it was peeing down at that time.

By the time we'd parked the car and wandered up to the museum, having bought coffee en route, it was just after 10 am. The queue didn't look too bad and seemed to be moving. But then I realised that was just the head of the queue, and they were sending people across to it from the other side of the entrance, and the queue went round the corner.

It actually went round the corner, up and down the road a few times, then round another corner and along the road. :eek:

I'd have given up, but DH was determined to stick it out and convinced we'd never make it any earlier. After a while someone came along the queue selling a quiz and puzzles in aid of the local children's hospice, and that helped pass the time, although I was a little annoyed by the person behind us reading out the clues AND HER ANSWERS. DH and I both had books which was also a Good Thing.

At various points there were street sellers with umbrellas and a Big Issue Vendor, and an ice cream van.

There are signs saying how long you can expect to be queuing and not to join the queue after a certain time. We waited 3 hours rather than the 3.5 hours we thought we'd be waiting. And by the time we got it in I was just bursting for the loo. :rotfl:

Even once you're in, the queue continues (and not just for the loo!) and I found the galleries dedicated to Banksy very difficult - too crowded, too many people trying to take photos, too dark to see properly in some places.

What I enjoyed far far more was spotting the Banksys scattered around the museum proper. Partly because it was less crowded, and partly because they were just so funny! I do hope we get to keep some of them.

I really wish I could go again just to finish going round the museum proper! I think we spent an hour on Banksy proper, and then half an hour having lunch (one cafe only sells cakes!) and then 1.5 hours on the rest of the museum before we were all museumed out. I might have been able to carry on with another coffee inside me, but the cafes had both closed by then.

Good luck ...

pavlovs_dog

my word that is some queue!

i'm secrely hoping that the museum would announce that they were extending the run of the exhibition but that's not looking quite so likely as the scheduled run draws to an end. looks like we're going to have a very early start on the day when we do go.

many thanks for replying Sue :beer:

Savvy_Sue

pavlovs_dog wrote: »

my word that is some queue!

i'm secrely hoping that the museum would announce that they were extending the run of the exhibition but that's not looking quite so likely as the scheduled run draws to an end. looks like we're going to have a very early start on the day when we do go.

many thanks for replying Sue :beer:

I think many people are hoping they'll extend, but as you say, no sign of it yet. I also hope they'll keep some of his exhibits in the main galleries, because that would keep me going back!

Maybe I'll try to sneak in next Wednesday, on their late night opening, and just finish the galleries.

financial_illiterate

The queue is not better on a Wednesday evening; if you can't finish work early (assuming a usual 5pm finish) then its a real challenge to get in in time to see everything before it closes.

Savvy_Sue

financial_illiterate wrote: »

The queue is not better on a Wednesday evening; if you can't finish work early (assuming a usual 5pm finish) then its a real challenge to get in in time to see everything before it closes.

Thanks. I might be able to finish early, but I don't need to see it all, I only need to do the map gallery, the ground floor non-Banksy galleries, and possibly double check I did the rest of it! :rotfl:

We had the chance of going on a 'charity night', for which we'd have had to pay £45, which DH was prepared to do, but we weren't fast enough.

joegw

pavlovs_dog wrote: »

I'd like to go see this before it disappears, but I read on a BBC article that the queues to get in are pretty horrific.

does anyone have any insight as to how early the queues start to form and if weekdays are noticably quieter than weekends inspite of the school holidays?

many thanks,

pavlov :beer:

This is a fantastic free day out! I went on Saturday 22nd August with my girlfriend and parents.

I rang ahead to get the low down on a good time to arrive. Basically people start queueing at 7am for a 10am opening. We arrived at 8:30 and were 2.5 hours from the front. This is actually a good time to queue becuase we got in at 12:30.
Yes we waited 4 hours to get in but if you get their for 7ish you still have to wait 3 hours for it to open.

Once your in, the main Banksy section is very busy but take your time and you can always pop back in there at the end. The rest of the museum is very interesting, and their are some gems hidden amongst the usuals.

The map you get when you head in is a good laugh as well! Busting for the loo when we finally got in, looked at the map to head for the 'Toilets' only to find an artistic pile of portaloos! Whoops! :rotfl:

Take a book/friend (get them to pop across the road for sandwiches)/ipod/paper and the time will go by much quicker!

Also if you are going with a disabled person - they will only allow one person in as a carer.

Have fun! :j

Savvy_Sue

joegw wrote: »

The map you get when you head in is a good laugh as well! Busting for the loo when we finally got in, looked at the map to head for the 'Toilets' only to find an artistic pile of portaloos! Whoops! :rotfl:

Huh! We never GOT a map! I shall have to go back and complain. :rotfl:

Oh, and it wasn't a free day out by the time we'd paid for parking! I don't normally pay for parking in my own city, but as we were running late we thought we'd better. £10 in Trenchard Street. :mad: Which is, AFAIK, one of the cheaper car parks.

pavlovs_dog

a friend of mine went today, joined the queue at 10.30 and had to queue for over 4hours to get in _pale_ :eek:

Savvy_Sue

I don't think it's going to get any better ...

If you can come on Weds or Sat, at least you've got longer inside if you aren't there at 7 am.

Hope the weather stays fine for the queue! :rotfl:

joegw

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Huh! We never GOT a map! I shall have to go back and complain. :rotfl:

Oh, and it wasn't a free day out by the time we'd paid for parking! I don't normally pay for parking in my own city, but as we were running late we thought we'd better. £10 in Trenchard Street. :mad: Which is, AFAIK, one of the cheaper car parks.

Ok nearly free....we paid £2.50 to park in the multi storey just over the road.

The map is a good souvenir, since the posters are far to expensive!