GLOUCESTER CITY MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY: OFFICIAL OPENING WITH...
PHIL HARDING FROM TIME TEAM
Saturday 3 September, 2.45pm
For the last few months Gloucester City Museum has been closed for a full makeover, and is due to open its doors again on August 6, with the official launch taking place on Saturday 3rd September at 2.45pm, with a special ribbon- cutting ceremony featuring well loved Archaeologist Phil Harding from Time Team and 'The Big Living History Experience' - full details below.
Gloucester City museum features exciting new interactive displays, improved educational facilities, a new reception area, shop, cafe and complete redesign of the ground floor. Fun highlights include a touchy, feely, smelly Roman Kitchen and medieval street, a Roman ‘building site’, investigation lab, crafty corner, toys and games zone and up close and personal experiences with some surprising dinosaurs!
BBC Learning and Gloucester City Council present
The Big Living History Experience!
Saturday 3 September, 10am - 5pm
To celebrate Gloucester Day and the City Museum launch, a fun packed day of living history is on offer behind the City Museum on the old bowling green next to Constitution Walk. Visitors of all ages will enjoy meeting characters from the Iron Age, World War Two, the Roman Empire and a colourful Victorian Family, or even see what services the medieval barber surgeon has to offer! Local relic expert Kurt Adams will also be on hand to identify objects that visitors have found at home, and both real and replica objects from throughout history will be available to investigate.
Sponsored by BBC Learning as part of this summer’s Dig 360 season, two raised archaeological digs will also be set up for all the family to have a go at digging up and identifying objects they have found along with a full day of surprising historical events! Further details are below.
Activities
Learning excavations digs - Roman & WW2
Get involved in some digging and see what you can find in our archaeological digs. Looked after by County Archaeologist Anna Morris there will be an expert on hand to help you identify the treasures you find.
Re-enactors
From a World War 2 dig for victory activity where you can plant something to take home to meeting a Roman auxiliary man there will be plenty of characters to talk to. Medieval barber surgeon, Victorian Family, Iron Age Princess
Gallery Tours
City Archaeologist David Rice will lead tours of the newly renovated museum. David has worked on the new galleries since the project started.
Drop in session and display on how the museum transformation was achieved
The City Museum has been closed since September 2010 and is now completely transformed. See how this amazing feat was achieved and talk to Louise Allen our Collections Care Manager who has been part of the project since the very beginning.
History talks in the Wheatstone Hall
Full details in next section.
Dug up anything interesting??
Kurt Adams, local expert and Finds Liaison Officer will be on the Bowling Green to help you identify objects you have found at home, in the garden, whilst out walking the dog or where ever you may spot them.
Guess the mystery objects
Work out what are mysterious ancient object are.
Hall of names
National company Hall of names will be in the museum shop area to help you find out the meaning of your family name.
Historic Sporting character performances
Educational Theatre Company ‘Spaniel in the Works will be bringing us performances about two very different local historic sporting stars. Watch Auriel Heelis – Motorcycle sidecar rider for Baughan Motorcycles between 10.30am and 12.30pm inside the museum and Arabella Patridge – Victorian tennis player from 1.30pm – 3.30pm on the Bowling Green.
Games
Have a go at Roll a Rock, remember your school fete and try and Splat a Rat or test your dexterity with a game of Quoites.
Local Roman dice game demonstrations
Gloucester based company Mindbender Puzzles have developed a range of authentic Roman dice games. Available to buy in the museum shop the people who made the games will be on hand to show you how to play and even challenge you to a game.
Archaeological themed crafts for all the family
Why not make a medieval pouch to take home or try out one of our other craft activities for all ages.
County Archaeology Displays
Did you know about the range of ancient treasures found during the linkages development at Kimbrose Triangle. Along with a detailed talk at 11.15am this display will show the findings.
Lindy Hop/Jitterbug dance performances – From 2pm
Gloucester Jive and Swing Dance will be demonstrating some dances from the 1930’s, 1940’s and 1950’s. Come and see them in action from 2pm on the Bowling Green.
Find out about Archaeology in your area from the Historic Environment Records Officer
County Council Historic Environment Records Officer Tim Grubb will have a range of mediums to help you find out more about archaeology in your area and explain what it all means.
Themed menu in Cafe Nerva
Along with the usual treats in the popular Café Nerva mention there will be some special Archaeological delights. Mmmmmmm Rock Cakes…..
History Talks in the Wheatstone Hall
10.15am. A beer stained story of Gloucester - Darrel Kirby
Gloucester has a long and fascinating history and over the years it has also had more than its fair share of pubs. This talk tells the beer-stained Story of Gloucester: from pre-Roman days, through the medieval period, the time of the Siege of Gloucester and the Victorians right up to the present day, using the City’s pubs and drinking habits as a guide.
11.15am. Kimbrose Archaeology - Paul Nichols
Did you know about the range of ancient treasures found during the linkages development at Kimbrose Triangle. This area of Gloucester City Centre has recently been improved and during the building works a host of different items were discovered, including another section of Gloucester’s Roman City Wall, some medieval skeletons and a tombstone of a Victorian lady whose life history they have been able to trace through official records and tells a very interesting tale. This fascinating story gives an account of over 2000 years of local history and Archaeologist Paul Nichols is just the man to tell it.
12.15pm. Growing up in Gloucester - Rebecca Watts of the University of Reading
An insight from the skeletons of St. Oswald's Priory Gloucester. Expert Rebecca Watts has been finding evidence that the medieval children of Gloucester had a very hard and violent time and is joining us to explain how they prove this and what evidence she has found so far.