The Willy Wonka metal gates opening off Great Missenden High Street into the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, a gift from Warner Brothers who have made this summer’s big Dahl film, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, are still a work in progress. The chocolate-slab doors to the Inventing Room (or is it the Children-Eating Room?) are a gleam in the eye of Dahl-crazy designers Bremner and Orr. The yellow-lined flooring for the displays on the writer’s life, inspired by the legal pads on which he wrote all his manuscripts, is not yet laid. But here’s the good news: the education packs are nearly ready. Order yours now from education manager and former teacher Katy Sullivan (katy@roalddahlmuseum.org; tel 01494 892192) and look out for downloadable resources for key stages 1-3 at www.
roalddahl museum.org, based on the Story Centre activities to boost creative writing. As well as a replica of Dahl’s writing hut at his family home in the Buckinghamshire village (pictured), child and adult visitors will be inspired by authors and illustrators including JK Rowling, Philip Pullman, PD James, Joanna Trollope and Mark Haddon. A “golden ticket” (free entry) is waiting for teachers who want to plan a group visit. The official opening is on June 10, when the chocolate will be in place.We can’t wait.
