A teasmade, snooker balls, children’s toys, flowers, kitchen accessories and even fashion items – it must surely be one of the most eclectic museum collections around.

But those behind the Museum of Design in Plastics, situated in the library at Arts University Bournemouth, are immensely proud of its 14,000 artefacts.

The collection first started in 1988 when university staff began collating objects for students to use in their studies. It opened as a museum in 2007 and is now recognised as the only accredited museum of plastics in the UK.

“We discovered that, when they began collecting, huge numbers of things were made of plastic and we had more of those than any other materials,” explains Susan Lambert, head of the museum, which is affectionately known as MoDiP.

“Plastic tends to have been neglected by most other museums because they were set up at a time when they didn’t really exist. It’s a niche area that no-one else covers.”

With limited space, the museum’s curators change the exhibition around every six months – namely to give each and every object a chance to shine, but also as the varied plastics need to be carefully protected and given time out of the harsh electric lights.

“It’s not good for plastics to be in the light because they fade”, says Susan. “It’s quite important they are kept in a stable environment.

“We work to recognised standards in terms of protecting things.”

While its main use is a resource for the many design, fine art and fashion students at the university, the museum is also open to the general public.

It has an online catalogue, where more information can be found about its thousands of exhibits, and visitors can also request to see particular items from the archives, which include a collection of 19th century plastic, Baker Lite items, hip joints, an aeroplane window, Barbie dolls and fashion items made from synthetic materials.

The museum covers a huge range of plastics – its current exhibition focuses on Flora and includes not only plastic plant pots and artificial flowers, but also plant materials which have replaced oil as a basis for plastic production, such as corn starch and bamboo or pine fibre.

“We look at plastics from a very all-round and global perspective,” explains Susan, whose favourite artefact is a Baker Lite electric plug which is made to look as if it is made from wood.

“It’s a very modern thing – it made electricity possible – but they’ve made it not look like a modern thing,” she smiles.

“Plastics are really key for development in the 20th century. We try to reflect that.”

As well as inspiring the work of university students, the museum runs a creative programme, where students can apply to work with MoDiP to develop something inspired by the museum, which gives them a small grant towards the project.

“It’s an edgy and odd thing to have in a museum”, admits Susan.

“There are lots of stories about the fake aspect that make everyone despite the material. But I think people just take it for granted. It’s a material that does so much for us, people don’t consider it.

“There’s so much good that different plastic materials did. One of the things that this exhibition makes very clear is that plastics have made things so much more colourful.

“Plastics do not have a basic shape or a basic colour, they can be wherever your imagination takes you.”

  • modip.ac.uk