The AnswerBank Articles

Is it true, the Science Museum in London is about to scrap its admission charges

A. Yes and no. It will only be free to get into the museum on Sunday, 17 June - Father's Day. But there are plans to abolish admission charges to the museum from 1 December. Sunday will be a trial01:00 Thu 14th Jun 2001

Is it true you can now get to relatively cheap tickets for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

A. Yes, tickets start from as low as 3 to 10 on Fridays and Saturdays and 4 to 12 on other days of the week. Q. What is being done to ensure that tickets remain affordable A. The Royal Opera01:00 Wed 06th Jun 2001

Has graffiti been around for along as paint

asked Chicken A. Well, the word 'graffiti' actually derives from the Greek word graphein, which means: to write. This should give you some idea of how long people have been trying to make their mark01:00 Sun 10th Jun 2001

Adoration of the Magi

Detail from Adoration of the Magi Q. Why are British art experts so angry over plans to restore Leonardo da Vinci's Adoration of the Magi A. They think that restoration will damage the painting. 01:00 Mon 04th Jun 2001

What was the Year of the Artist

A. The Year of the Artist was a national project which started in June 2000 and ran through to May 2001. The purpose of the year was to take art in England out of seemingly elitist venues such as01:00 Mon 04th Jun 2001

What are the origins of the spy novel

A. One of the most popular forms of fiction over the last century, the spy novel emerged during the international tensions - in particular the arms race between Britain and Germany - during the years01:00 Mon 04th Jun 2001

What is postmodernism

A. Webster's dictionary defines it as 'of, relating to, or being any of several movements (as in art, architecture or literature) that are reactions against the philosophy and practices of modern01:00 Mon 04th Jun 2001

Who was Jan Vermeer

A. Jan - or Johannes - Vermeer was born on 31 October 1632, in the town of Delft in the Netherlands. Remaining in the town all his life, he was buried there on 15 December 1675. He was one of the01:00 Mon 28th May 2001

What are the origins of the ghost story

A. Ghosts and spirits have been part of folklore and common belief from time immemorial. Although such spectral figures have always appeared in stories and literature - think of Banquo's ghost in01:00 Mon 28th May 2001

What is Surrealism

A. Surrealism was one of the most influential movements in art and literature to come out of the 20th century. Although it was at its height in the years between the two world wars, it's legacy can01:00 Mon 28th May 2001

When did dictionaries first appear

A. Word lists date back to at least the first century AD, when a number of lists of Greek words that had gone out of use were produced. By coincidence, at the same time on the other side of the world,01:00 Mon 21st May 2001

Who was Anna Kavan

A. A good question about someone who wrote a novel entitled Who Are You She has been variously described as 'De Quincey's heir' and 'Kafka's sister' and is one of the most bizarre figures in English01:00 Mon 21st May 2001

What is SylvaC

A. SylvaC ware was produced by the firm of Shaw and Copestake at the Sylvan works in Longton, Staffordshire. From its beginnings in 1894 the factory produced highly ornate vases, clock sets, jugs and01:00 Mon 21st May 2001

What's the story on willow pattern plates

Q. What's the story A. Are you sitting comfortably Then I'll begin. Once upon a time, a young Chinese girl was betrothed by her mandarin father to a rich but elderly merchant. But the girl had01:00 Mon 14th May 2001

Science fiction: literature or 'space opera'

Q. What is science fiction A. The dictionary answer is 'fiction dealing principally with the impact of actual or imagined science on society or individuals or having a scientific factor as an01:00 Mon 14th May 2001

How do you set up a book club

Q. What are book clubs and why do they exist A. Also known as reading groups, essentially they are a forum for discussion, an added incentive to meet up with people and a way to introduce each other01:00 Mon 14th May 2001

How do you get your poetry published

Q. How do you get your poetry published A. Given that more books are published in the UK today than ever before – well in excess of 100,000 new books annually – it may come as a surprise to01:00 Mon 07th May 2001

Are there too many literary awards

Q. Are there too many literary awards and are they anything more than backslapping A. It would be cynical to write off awards as mere self-congratulation for the publishing industry, but they do seem01:00 Mon 07th May 2001

What is Brit Art

Q. What is Brit Art A. The 1990s witnessed an unprecedented international interest in contemporary British Art. 'Brit Art' was the broad ranging name given to this exciting and experimental art work.01:00 Mon 07th May 2001

Which type of paint is best for what

A. It really depends what you want to do and how technically proficient you are. Q. What are the main types of paint and what qualities do each possess A. The four main varieties are watercolour,01:00 Mon 30th Apr 2001