Museums at Night
Museums at Night, the annual after-hours celebration of UK culture, history and heritage is back. Over the weekend of 14-16th May 2010 museums and galleries across the UK, from Aberdeen to Cornwall, will be opening late and staging over 300 unique events.
Tying in with the European event of the same name (La Nuit des Musées), it is a chance to enjoy a great night out and experience the heritage and culture on your doorstep.
Many cities, including Liverpool, Newcastle, Stockport, Brighton, London, Norwich, Bath and Dorchester are all putting on multiple events. A snapshot of highlights around the UK include:
London
* A sell-out event last year, the Cabinet War Rooms are offering adults the chance to spend the night in their World War 2 shelter beneath the streets of Whitehall. At a cost of £45 (including a 2 course dinner, breakfast, tour and overnight stay) this must be the cheapest bed in London.
* Super-stylist and Pop magazine editor Katie Grand will be talking about her friendship with fashion’s edgiest stars at the V & A’s Grace Kelly Style Icon exhibition.
* The Tate Modern will be celebrating their 10th Birthday over the weekend and opening until midnight with a free arts festival, which will fill the Turbine Hall with an eclectic mix of cutting-edge arts events, performances, music and film.
South West
* Penzance - Experience a life on a Night Shift at Geevor Tin Mine in Cornwall.
* St Austell - explore the Rainforest Biome in complete darkness at The Eden Project. Bring your torches and experience the sounds and smells of the tropics at night.
* Torquay: Play Live Cluedo at Torre Abbey. A brutal murder has taken place at Torre Abbey during one of the Carys' elegant country house parties. Six weapons. Eleven possible locations. Six suspects. Who done it?
South East
* Lee on Solent: The Hovercraft Museum will be showing off its collection of hovercraft old and new - including Richard Hammond’s converted Ice Cream Van. If the weather permits there will be rides out onto the water on an old hovercraft too.
* Chatham: "A Murder in the Mast house" - An overnight Ghost Investigation at Chatham Historic Dockyard. A murder took place here on 16th April 1875 and since that time ghostly things have been occurring. This overnight stay is an opportunity to find out about the murder and see if there are any ghostly re-occurrences!
* Brighton - Bamboozled 2: Young animators will be showcasing their work at an outdoor Animation Screening at Jubilee Square in Brighton. Curated by Kanoti, last year work included Brighton cartoonist Modern Toss.
East Anglia
* Norwich - There are a whole host of events across Norwich for Museums at Night, including: The Assembly House - Was it Norwich's first nightclub? Explore the history of The Assembly House and learn how in the 18th and early 19th century eligible bachelors would meet their future fiancés and spouses; Ghostly Twilight Tales and Mysterious Journeys in Norwich Cathedral
*Cromer: RNLI Henry Blogg Museum, Cromer A light in the night can be the most welcome sight to those in trouble at sea. Come and discover an incredible history of lifesaving rescues at the museum, and make a lantern to light your way home.
The Midlands
* Nottingham: Meet the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham while he takes you on a guided tour of the old county gaol.
*Derbyshire - Beer and Skittles, Cheese and Pickles - an evening of traditional games at the Bakewell Old House Museum
North West
* Liverpool - Liverpool city centre museums, galleries, cultural venues will be throwing open their doors til late for Light Night -part of Museums at Night 2010. The Walker Art Gallery will be having a first viewing and special talks of the new exhibition by Toulouse-Lautrec High Kicks and Low Life. Amongst many of the other highlights, you will be able to take in the panoramic views of Liverpool at night, 450 feet above the heart of Liverpool City Centre with a tour of the Radio City Tower or descend for a unique behind the scenes hard hat tour of the Queensway Tunnel, one of Liverpool’s engineering masterpieces; take the family to This is Sculpture Arty Party - a silent disco with a twist at Tate Liverpool or listen to a 70 strong Community Choir at The Liverpool Art Prize Preview.
* Stockport - Stockport Market is celebrating the 750th anniversary of the market’s charter this year, so Museums at Night is using “food” as its over-arching theme. Amongst the exciting events already planned is Feast or Famine at both Stockport’s Air Raid Shelters and Stockport Story Museum where you can take a tour of the Shelters to discover more about wartime rationing and cookery at the time. Discover more about the life of a Victorian Domestic Goddess, Mrs Beeton, at Bramall Hall. Or perhaps you want to know more about the gruesome practices that have taken place throughout the ages. Join experts at Staircase House as they present An ‘orrible history tour.
North East
* Newcastle - The Late Shows, the UK’s biggest Museums at Night event, returns to Newcastle and Gateshead. There is a free culture crawl with unique events including: a Twilight saga themed evening at Seven Stories; a fake funeral of fictional characters, including Darth Vader and Kathy and Heathcliffe, in the black comedy production, The Dead that Never Lived, at The Lit & Phil; Art gallery Vane is inviting visitors to up the tempo and bring their favourite records along to a nostalgic amateur disco;Discovery Museum is going retro with over-sized 80s games such as Operation, Twister and an 8 track Scalextric; Newcastle United Football Club is offering exclusive guided tours of St James’ Park.
A free bus service will be linking the venues.
Wales
* Newport: Tredegar House & Park: Speed dating at Tredegar House & Gallery
* Aberystwyth - Learn how to Lindy Hop at a 1940’s Jazz Night at the Coliseum, at Ceredigion Museum.
Scotland
* Nr Cupar - Fife Folk Museum - Phantasmagoria Magic Lantern Show
* Argyll -Ghost Walk at Inverary Jail & County Court - Join the guides as they take you around the dark corridors of the Old and New Prisons and recount the tales of unexplained events that have happened over time!
Museums at Night, the annual after-hours celebration of UK culture, history and heritage is back. Over the weekend of 14-16th May 2010 museums and galleries across the UK, from Aberdeen to Cornwall, will be opening late and staging over 300 unique events.
Tying in with the European event of the same name (La Nuit des Musées), it is a chance to enjoy a great night out and experience the heritage and culture on your doorstep.
Many cities, including Liverpool, Newcastle, Stockport, Brighton, London, Norwich, Bath and Dorchester are all putting on multiple events. A snapshot of highlights around the UK include:
London
* A sell-out event last year, the Cabinet War Rooms are offering adults the chance to spend the night in their World War 2 shelter beneath the streets of Whitehall. At a cost of £45 (including a 2 course dinner, breakfast, tour and overnight stay) this must be the cheapest bed in London.
* Super-stylist and Pop magazine editor Katie Grand will be talking about her friendship with fashion’s edgiest stars at the V & A’s Grace Kelly Style Icon exhibition.
* The Tate Modern will be celebrating their 10th Birthday over the weekend and opening until midnight with a free arts festival, which will fill the Turbine Hall with an eclectic mix of cutting-edge arts events, performances, music and film.
South West
* Penzance - Experience a life on a Night Shift at Geevor Tin Mine in Cornwall.
* St Austell - explore the Rainforest Biome in complete darkness at The Eden Project. Bring your torches and experience the sounds and smells of the tropics at night.
* Torquay: Play Live Cluedo at Torre Abbey. A brutal murder has taken place at Torre Abbey during one of the Carys' elegant country house parties. Six weapons. Eleven possible locations. Six suspects. Who done it?
South East
* Lee on Solent: The Hovercraft Museum will be showing off its collection of hovercraft old and new - including Richard Hammond’s converted Ice Cream Van. If the weather permits there will be rides out onto the water on an old hovercraft too.
* Chatham: "A Murder in the Mast house" - An overnight Ghost Investigation at Chatham Historic Dockyard. A murder took place here on 16th April 1875 and since that time ghostly things have been occurring. This overnight stay is an opportunity to find out about the murder and see if there are any ghostly re-occurrences!
* Brighton - Bamboozled 2: Young animators will be showcasing their work at an outdoor Animation Screening at Jubilee Square in Brighton. Curated by Kanoti, last year work included Brighton cartoonist Modern Toss.
East Anglia
* Norwich - There are a whole host of events across Norwich for Museums at Night, including: The Assembly House - Was it Norwich's first nightclub? Explore the history of The Assembly House and learn how in the 18th and early 19th century eligible bachelors would meet their future fiancés and spouses; Ghostly Twilight Tales and Mysterious Journeys in Norwich Cathedral
*Cromer: RNLI Henry Blogg Museum, Cromer A light in the night can be the most welcome sight to those in trouble at sea. Come and discover an incredible history of lifesaving rescues at the museum, and make a lantern to light your way home.
The Midlands
* Nottingham: Meet the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham while he takes you on a guided tour of the old county gaol.
*Derbyshire - Beer and Skittles, Cheese and Pickles - an evening of traditional games at the Bakewell Old House Museum