twilight at the museums

Half term break in Cambridge … some ideas!

As I write this post, Spring is very definitely in the air, the sun is shining in a blue sky and we hope for beautiful weather next week for the half term break. I’ve put together a few details of events in the city, many of which are free, both indoors and outdoors so you’re covered whatever the weather!

Cambridge University Botanic Garden

One of my favourite green spaces in the city is the Cambridge University Botanic Garden and there’s lots to do here for all ages. Spring into Yoga on 19 February offers springtime yoga sequences for 8 – 12 year olds to get bodies moving and minds focused and calm. The Red Alert Twilight Event on 20 February is a free, drop in session where you’ll see some of the world’s most endangered plants and meet the people helping these plants to survive. Flowers, Friendship and Wild Wonders on 22 February tells the story of a friendship – expect dancing, drama and lots of fun for 5 – 7 year olds. And if you’re free ranging around the Botanic Garden at any time, children will love the Crazy Cone Caper, a self guided family trail. You’ll find details of all these events on http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk

twilight_17_preview — Image Credit: Martin Bond

If you’ve seen the movie “Night at the Museum” and wondered how it feels to wander round a museum after hours, now’s your chance to find out at Cambridge University’s “Twilight at the Museums” event. Explore fourteen local museums and collections after dark on 20 February from 4.30 – 7.30pm and experience these spaces and collections in a different way. This is a free, drop in event for families with activities and themed trails across the venues, most of which are just a short walk apart. So wrap up warm and bring a torch to help you explore those darker corners. Visit www.museums.cam.ac.uk for full details.

Kettle's Yard Studio Sunday — Image credit: Kettle’s Yard

Kettle’s Yard On Castle Hill has plenty lined up for the break, starting with Studio Sunday, a free, drop in artist-led workshop for families on 17 February. On 19 February, they are running a Collage Workshop for 8 – 12 year olds and a free Portfolio Afternoon for those aged 13+ who’d like to work with a professional artist to develop their drawing practice and their portfolio. From 21 – 24 February there’ll be free drop in drawing activities each afternoon, suitable for all ages and abilities, in the Clore Learning Studio. Or come and explore spirals, webs and weaving at the free, drop in Dream Weaver Community Day on 23 February. Further details of all these and booking, where booking is necessary, on http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk

Heffers Bookshop Cambridge

Heffers Booksellers are a Cambridge institution – they’ve been selling books in the city for over 140 years. Children’s at Heffers is offering a number of free events over half term so you can meet authors, join in fun activities and enjoy Story Time. See the photo for details and book your place via http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/heffersbookshop

Have a great half term break!!

What’s on in Cambridge – February

It may be midwinter out there but there’s still plenty happening in the city! I’ll add to this listing as the month unfurls so please do get in touch if you know of an event that could be included.

Snowdrops at Cambridge University Botanic Garden — Snowdrops at the Botanic Garden

2nd 10am – 1pm Family Saturday – Prehistoric Plants. Find out about the plants that were around at the time of the dinosaurs and make your own plant fossil to take home. Botanic Garden. Free event. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk Read more about the Botanic Garden here

2nd 2 – 4pm Family First Saturday. Art activities on the theme of Chinese New Year, in collaboration with Cambridge China Centre. Fitzwilliam Museum. Free event. http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

2nd 7.30pm Impromptu Shakespeare. A semi-regular meet up for Shakespeare lovers to explore their theatrical side. Salisbury Arms, Tenison Road. http://www.facebook.com/groups/impromptushakespeare or email shakespearereadthrough@gmail.com Read more about this Shakespeare group here

3rd 7.30pm “Romantic Russia” concert. Sampson Orchestra. Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Gliere. West Road Concert Hall. Tickets bought from Cam Sight will be donated to the charity. http://www.camsight.org.uk Read more about Cam Sight here

4th 7pm Curry Night, raising money for Cam Sight. Prana, Mill Road http://www.camsight.org.uk Read more about Cam Sight here

7 – 9th 7.45pm The Mikado. Cambridge University G & S Society. West Road Concert Hall. http://www.adcticketing.com

9th 2 – 5.30pm An Introduction to Nature Poetry. Study day with Cambridge scholars Paul Chirico and Oliver Goldstein. How does 19th century poetry speak to us now, in a time of climate change? Stapleford Granary CB22. http://www.literaturecambridge.co.uk/nature/ Read more about Literature Cambridge here

9 – 10th 11am – 4pm Rowan “Cambridge Seen” Art Exhibition and sale. Works created by local artists, on sale at £45 each, raising funds to help Rowan’s student artists lead a more fulfilled life. Long Road Sixth Form College, CB2 http://www.rowanhumberstone.co.uk Read more about Rowan here

11 – 17th 10.30am – 6pm “Illuminating Cambridge Libraries”, a pop-up exhibition by photographer, Sara Rawlinson. Heong Gallery, Downing College. http://www.sararawlinson.com Read more about Sara and her work here and here

13th 7.30pm Spanglish Speed Dating – Valentine Special. The Emperor Tapas pub, Hills Road. Facebook: @SpanishCentreUK

13th 7.30pm An Evening with Preti Taneja, author of “We That Are Young”, a dazzling re-writing of King Lear, set in modern India. Stapleford Granary, CB22. http://www.literaturecambridge.co.uk/taneja/ Read more about Literature Cambridge here

15 – 17th Ahbab Festival, celebrating Middle Eastern and North African culture in music, film and food. Cambridge Junction. http://www.junction.co.uk

15 – 16th Sat noon – 6pm/Sun 10am – 5pm Cambridge Book Fair. 85 booksellers and refreshment by Indigo Cafe. The Guildhall, Market Square. http://www.pbfa.org

16th 11am – 5pm Cambridge Climate and Sustainability Festival, “Affecting Every Existence”. Fisher’s Building, St John’s College. Facebook: @CambridgeClimateForum

16th 8pm Stravinsky “The Rite of Spring” and Rachmaninov “Symphonic Dances”. Cambridge University Orchestra. West Road Concert Hall. http://www.adcticketing.com

20th 4.30 – 7.30pm Twilight at the Museums. Explore 14 local museums and collections after dark. Free, drop in event with activities and themed trails across the venues. http://www.museums.cam.ac.uk

21st 6.30 – 8.30pm Cam Late: Botanic Nights. An evening in the Glasshouse Range with craft beer and atmospheric light displays. Over 18’s only. Botanic Garden. http://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk Read more about the Botanic Garden here

26th 7.30pm Academy of Ancient Music, Lucie Horsch with Richard Egarr. Vivaldi and Bach. West Road Concert Hall. http://www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk/tickets

Glasshouse at Cambridge University Botanic Garden — Glasshouse at the Botanic Garden

Have you seen that movie “Night at the Museum”? And wondered how it feels to wander round a museum after hours? Well, wonder no more because now’s your chance to find out as Cambridge University Museums’ “Twilight at the Museums” event invites you to explore fourteen local museums and collections after dark, from 4.30 – 7.30pm on Tuesday 13 February.

twilightwebbanner — Image credit: Alice the Camera/ University of Cambridge Museums

There’s a wealth of events to enjoy. At the Polar Museum, you can meet some of the characters that have made polar history. Or why not become a geological pioneer at the University Library, discovering rocks, fossils and extraordinary maps at the “Landscapes Below” exhibition. Join the Eclipse Expedition at the Whipple Museum and follow in the footsteps of historic explorers on a scientific trail as you gather vital equipment and travel across distant lands to observe a rare solar eclipse.

twilight_67_preview — Image credit: Martin Bond

At the Fitzwilliam Museum, a stunning building that is home to a world-class collection of works of art and antiquities, there’ll be a Kaleidoscope of Colour. See if you can touch, hear or taste colour and find out if it can change the way you see things. Enjoy special demonstrations, musical performances, interactive play and dazzling projections as you experience the collection through a range of colour. Head to Kettle’s Yard to pick up your Twilight Trail and discover the newly opened gallery spaces. Visit the glasshouses at the Cambridge University Botanic Garden to hunt for orchids and to find out more about these amazing plants. Full details of these and the many events at other venues are on the Cambridge University Museums’ website – details at the end of this post.

Richard White, Marketing and Communications Coordinator, tells me that the museums will all be colourful this year, with special lighting so that you can explore their collections in a different way. It’s also a great opportunity to discover a museum that maybe you’ve been meaning to visit for ages as well as to learn some amazing facts.

Alice-the-Camera-Cambridge-Museums-Twilight-149_preview — Image credit: Alice the Camera

“Twilight at the Museums” is a free family event and children of all ages are welcome. You won’t go hungry either as there’ll be pop up food stands at the Downing Site (outside the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences and the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology) and the cafes at the Botanic Garden, the Fitzwilliam Museum and Kettles Yard will be open too. Most of the venues are just a short walk apart so wrap up warm and bring a torch to help you explore those darker corners ….. who knows what you’ll find amongst the shadows??!!

http://www.museums.cam.ac.uk/twilight

This event is being held at multiple locations around the city