Museums at Night 2014
Events in North Wales
Museums at Night, the annual night-time festival of arts, heritage and culture, will take place this year
over the weekend of Thursday May 15 – Saturday May 17, 2014.
Over three nights in May, during which time hundreds of museums, galleries and historic spaces all over
the UK will open up late and putting on a dazzling array of special night-time events: from unique
literary talks in castles to star gazing in historic houses; sleepovers in palaces to city-wide culture crawls;
bands playing in amongst museum exhibits to science fiction life drawing in galleries. The Museums at
Night festival offers the chance to experience culture and heritage in a totally unexpected way.
Some of the Museums at Night highlights in North Wales include:

Bersham Heritage Centre and Ironworks, Wrexham: Victorian Family Sleepover (Friday 16 Saturday 17 May). A Victorian-themed Museums at Night family-friendly sleepover at Bersham
Heritage Centre, suitable for families with children aged 7 – 11. Family Friendly

Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery, Bangor: Noson yn yr Amgueddfa – An Evening in the
Museum (Friday 16 May). Poets Karen Owen and Ifor ap Glyn will be giving readings and
discussing collections in the museum. The Curator will be answering questions and you will have
the opportunity to handle objects from the collection and take part in hands on activities for
children and families. Refreshments will also be available. Family Friendly. Welsh Language.

New York Cottages, Penmaenmawr: An evening in Bronze Age Penmaenmawr (Saturday 17
May). Come along to Penmaenmawr and listen to a lecture about the unique Bronze Age
landscapes of upland Penmaenmawr - discover Stone Circles, Standing Stones and Burial Cairns.
The lecture is a forerunner of a new exhibition which will open soon at the New York Cottages.
Refreshments provided. Family Friendly.

Denbigh Museum / Amgueddfa Dinbych, Denbighshire: Drws Agored Mai 2014 / Open Door
May 2014 (Saturday 17 May). Come along to the old Victorian Frongoch School (and latterly the
Magistrates' Court) to have a preview of what's to come when the Museum is developed.
Explore the building (including the cells) with our tour guides, see some of the plans for the
proposed Museum, and meet representatives from various heritage organisations / groups in
Denbigh. The Community Archive Group will also be on hand so remember to dig out your
photos and memorabilia for them to record!

Wireless in Wales Museum, Denbighshire: Bugs, Plagues and Epidemics - how microbiology
changed the world (Friday 16 May). A talk by Dr Chris Madoc Jones of Denbigh exploring how
microbiology changed the world. Light refreshments will be provided. Family Friendly.

Ruthin Gaol, Denbighshire: Bedtime stories at the Gaol & Archives (Friday 16 May). Wear your
winter pyjamas, slippers & dressing gown and bring your teddy, enjoy a glass of milk and a
cookie whilst joining in with our story time at the Gaol and Archives. Recommended for 5 years
and upwards, children must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times. Family Friendly

Beaumaris Courthouse and Gaol Museum, Anglesey: The Castle Players at Beamaris
Courthouse and Gaol (Saturday 17 May). The Castle players (a local amateur dramatics group)
will re-enact a case from the 400 year history of Beaumaris court. After passing judgement on
the accused we will move on to a twilight tour of Beaumaris Gaol, where some colourful
characters will be awaiting us. Not suitable for the under-7s. Welsh Language.

Sir Henry Jones Museum, Abergale: Launch of the new Sir Henry Jones Audio Tour (Friday 16
May). Explore the new Sir Henry Jones Museum by lamplight and be one of the first to try the
new Audio Tour, featuring interviews, photographs, games and insights into the life Sir Henry
Jones, a major influence on the education system in Wales. Family Friendly. Welsh Language.

Gladstone's Library, Hawarden: Museums at Night (Friday 16 May). This unique institution is
presenting two events for this year's festival. The first, Between the Sheets, is a talk given by
writer in residence, Lesley McDowell, based on her book of the same name. The second event,
Love and Other Disasters, will feature readings in the Library of favourite romantic (or not!)
literary works, chosen and read by members of the audience.
Events are being added on a daily basis but full listings for Museums at Night can be found at
www.museumsatnight.org.uk. For up to the minute news on Twitter follow @MuseumsatNight
#MatN2014

Media Inquiries: Pandora George or Sarah Jackson at Bullet PR
pandora@bulletpr.co.uk or sarah@bulletpr.co.uk
Tel: 01273 775520
Notes to Editors:
1. Museums at Night is the annual after-hours festival of arts, culture and heritage when hundreds
of museums, galleries, libraries, archives and heritage sites open their doors for special evening
events. It takes place over the weekend of Thursday 15 to Saturday 17, 2014.
www.museumsatnight.org.uk
2. Culture24 is a non-profit cultural publishing organisation supporting arts and heritage venues to
reach audiences across digital platforms. We collect and share cultural data, publish websites,
run the national Museums at Night campaign and lead action research projects.
www.WeAreCulture24.org.uk
3. Arts Council England champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences
that enrich people’s lives. We support a range of activities across the arts, museums and
libraries – from theatre to digital art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to
collections. Great art and culture inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves
and the world around us. In short, it makes life better. Between 2011 and 2015, we will invest
£1.4 billion of public money from government and an estimated £1 billion from the National
Lottery to help create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country.
www.artscouncil.org.uk