Rockin' Reindeer Christmas Trail

This Christmas we're testing your reindeer spotting skills! Can you spot all the reindeer in the Museum with our festive Rockin' Reindeer Trail? The trail is based across both the Pitt Rivers Museum and the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and will highlight lots of reindeer related objects in the collections.

Can you spot all 10 reindeer across the Museums? © Pitt Rivers Museum

Here's a sneak peek of one of the objects featured in the trail: 

Reindeer skin knickers, Siberia 1915.50.111 © Pitt Rivers Museum

These knickers would have been worn by people who lived in cold places like Siberia in Russia. They are made from reindeer skin and the fur is on the inside to keep the person wearing them warm and cosy, which was essential as temperatures can drop to -50 c. These knickers would have been worn by a woman with leggings and thigh high boots. They are not often worn today because the skills of making them lie with the older generation. Also most Inuit and Evenki peoples living in Alaska and northern Russia live in heated homes so there isn't such a need to wear them. Some people still wear them but on rare occasions such as when hunting. 

Come and take a closer look at these reindeer skin knickers in the Museum and discover more reindeer objects that we have on display. The trail runs from Saturday 19th December until Sunday 3rd January during opening hours. 

Carly Smith-Huggins, Families Education Officer

Make and Take a Reindeer Hat: Family Activities

It's almost Christmas and at the Pitt Rivers Museum we are feeling festive.  This year we have had our Pitt Stop Have yourself a Shiny Little Christmas where families had the chance to make shiny Christmas coins using real metal sheets.  We also had our Under 5s Rockin' Reindeer event looking at all the reindeer related objects in the museum.

Ivory Model of Reindeer, Siberia 1884.1.6 © Pitt Rivers Museum 

The Pitt Rivers Museum has many objects associated with reindeer, either made from parts of reindeer or models of reindeer.  Our most well-known reindeer object is the reindeer milk cheese from Norway displayed on the Lower Gallery, which is over 100 years old! In the Court (ground floor), there is a carved ivory model of reindeer pulling a sled in the Ivory and Bone case, reindeer knickers from Siberia in the emporary exhibition My Siberian Year, 1914 -1915, plus clothing made from reindeer skin and fur. There'll also be a reindeer harness and an unusual Swedish reindeer-skin shoe appearing in the new Leatherwork display on the Lower Gallery very soon!

Reindeer Milk Cheese 1886.12.2 © Pitt Rivers Museum

Reindeer Knickers 1915.50.111 © Pitt Rivers Museum 

Reindeer Hat © Pitt Rivers Museum

One way to get festive this year is to make your own reindeer antlers. They are very easy and simple to make and can be created at home. Follow this link for instructions - How to Make a Reindeer Hat.

From all the Education and Learning staff at the Pitt Rivers Museum, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!