Press Release
12 May 2015
North Wales attractions get ready for Museums at Night
Museums and heritage attractions across North Wales will be opening their doors with special night-time events from 13 -16 May as part of the annual Museums at Night festival.
Now in its seventh year, Museums at Night offers the chance to experience culture and heritage in a totally unexpected way from a children’s workshop taking a look behind the scenes at cataloguing at Gwynedd Museum, to a guided tour of the Wireless in Wales Museum in Denbigh to see and learn about radios through the ages. Alternatively, explore the story of the Quarry
Boys and their role in the Gallipoli campaign at Penmaenmawr Museum or join in the Mad
Hatter’s tea party at Gladstone’s Library in Hawarden.
Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Ken Skates commented:
“We have some fantastic museums across Wales, filled with fascinating items that help tell the story of our past. They are a valuable resource in helping us to learn about and understand important historical events in a way that books alone cannot. We are always looking at new ways of showcasing the incredible treasures in our museums and encourage visitors, new and old, to appreciate our museums in a different way.
“I’m pleased to announce the Welsh Museums Festival will be taking place for the second year from 24 th October to 1 st November. This will give visitors more opportunities to discover and be inspired by the unique collections, and to participate in a range of exciting experiences.”
Astronomy enthusiasts will be able to see Beaumaris Castle in a different light as the site hosts a late night astronomy session on Saturday, May 16. Cadw has teamed up with Dark Sky Wales and the North Wales Astronomy Society to host the unique event that will consist of talks with astronomers, stargazing sessions and a constellation presentation within a pop-up planetarium.
The festival sees hundreds of museums, galleries and historic spaces all over the UK opening their doors after hours to put on an array of special events. The festival has experienced phenomenal growth during the past few years, attracting 180,000 visits to 700 events in more than 500 venues across the country in 2014.
For the full list of events happening in Wales visit www.museumsatnight.org.uk
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Editor’s notes
For media queries please contact –

Nicola Williams 01978 722988 / nicola.williams@wrexham.gov.uk
Bethan Rogers 01978 722995 / bethan.rogers@wrexham.gov.uk
Events in North Wales
Napoleon invades Gwynedd Museum
15 May 2015
18:30 - 20:30
Art exhibition; Live interpretation and story-telling; A behind the scenes look at cataloguing; A cataloguing Children’s Workshop with the artist

Any age

Free of charge
Social Evening to celebrate Museums at Night
Wireless in Wales Museum
15 May 2015
19:00 - 21:00
An opportunity, through a guided tour, to see and learn about radios through the ages (1920s to
1960s). Discover Wales's influence on broadcasting. Enjoy a range of short archive films bringing the history of communications to life; and chat with our friendly expert technicians.

Family friendly, Any age

Free of charge
 Adults £5.00 Children £3.00 Family (two adults, two children) £ 15.
Please phone 01597 810561 to book
The Quarry Boys and Gallipoli - evening talk
Penmaenmawr Museum
16 May 2015
19:00

Join Anne Pedley as she explores the story of Penmaenmawr's Quarry Boys and their role in the Gallipoli campaign, in an evening lecture marking the centenary of Gallipoli. Part of the
Museums at Night programme.

Any age

Free of charge
Museums at Night - Mad Hatter's Tea Party
Gladstone's Library
15 May 2015
20:00 - 22:00
Join us to mark and celebrate the 150th anniversary of the publication of Alice's Adventures in
Wonderland. Enjoy readings from the book in the surroundings of Gladstone's Library, as part of the Museums at Night festival. We'll provide the cake, you buy the drinks!

Any age
 Tickets £7.50. To book, call 01244 532350 or email enquiries@gladlib.org.
Stargaze with Cadw: Beaumaris Castle
16 May 2015
20:00 - 23:30
This is your chance to stargaze from within the stunning medieval ruins of Beaumaris Castle at an event organised by Cadw in association with Dark Sky Wales and the North Wales
Astronomy Society. The evening will consist of talks with astronomers, stargazing sessions, a mini tour of the castle grounds and a constellation presentation within a pop-up planetarium.

Age 11+

Price: £9
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Wrexham County Borough Council has been selected by CyMAL: Museums Archives and
Libraries Wales, Welsh Government to receive a grant to deliver the Audience Development strand for 2015-2016.
CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales is a policy division of the Welsh Government, based in Aberystwyth and is responsible for developing policy for local museums, archives and libraries in Wales and advising the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism.

Museums at Night
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 from Wednesday May 13th – Saturday May 16th. www.museumsatnight.org.uk
Culture24
Culture24 is an independent non-profit company which exists to support the cultural sector to reach and connect with audiences. It is best known for publishing great websites about culture; producing the successful Museums at Night festival of after-hours openings and leading Let’s
Get Real , the collaborative action research project involving cultural organisations across the
UK and Europe. www.WeAreCulture24.org.uk