After Dark: What Does It Mean to Rebuild the Past?
A Night of Reflection
On Wednesday 17 September, The Golden Hinde opened its doors after dark for a one-night-only Heritage Open Days event. What Does It Mean to Rebuild the Past? brought together experts from Shakespeare’s Globe, The Rose Playhouse, and our own shipwright team to reflect on the art - and challenge - of reconstruction.
The evening marked the launch of our 30th anniversary year, setting the tone with an atmosphere of both celebration and inquiry. As visitors gathered in the candlelit Hold, they were invited not just to listen, but to question: What does authenticity mean in heritage? Is it found in the materials, the methods, or the meaning we attach to them?
Debating Reconstruction
Speakers included Dr Will Tosh and Jon Greenfield from the Globe, alongside Toby Millinder and Gary Lockley from The Golden Hinde. Together, they tackled questions that go to the heart of heritage work:
- How do we preserve reconstructions themselves, once they become historic in their own right?
- When we build for use, rather than display, how does that affect authenticity?
- Whose history is being reconstructed, and who gets to decide?
The panel didn’t shy away from complexity. They acknowledged the practical challenges - from sourcing timber to meeting safety standards - while also considering the philosophical implications of rebuilding the past.
Audience Engagement
The Q&A session revealed just how engaged our audience was. Questions ranged from technical details about shipbuilding to broader reflections on the value of reconstructions in public life. The exchange was lively, informed, and filled with curiosity - a reminder that heritage is not something passively consumed, but actively debated.
Setting the Stage for the Anniversary Year
Feedback from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive, with many asking for more events of this kind. For us, the message is clear: people want spaces to think deeply about history, not just observe it.
That’s why this After Dark event is only the beginning. As we celebrate our Pearl Anniversary, we’re planning a series of talks and panels that continue this conversation - bringing experts, communities, and visitors together to explore what it means to keep the past alive.
