Information on Loughborough

Charnwood Museum Celebrates National Family Week

Posted on 22/05/2009

Leicestershire Councty Council Community Services

21 May 2009

Charnwood Museum Celebrates National Family Week

Charnwood Museum will be holding a series of family fun events between 25th and 31st May to welcome the first ever National Family Week.

This new nationwide initiative aims to celebrate and promote good family life and to help the UK adopt a more family-friendly culture.

Charnwood Museum will start off the week with a bug hunt, which will take place every day from Saturday, 23rd May to Sunday, 31st May. At this free event families can chase trails of butterflies and bugs around the museum and try to solve puzzles together.

The bug theme continues on Wednesday, 27th May when giant millipedes, giant snails and giant leaf mimicking insects will be visiting the museum for the Animals in Hands Jungle Giants Roadshow. There will be an opportunity to handle these creatures and discover who the bravest members of your family are.

For the courageous the giant bugs will be accompanied by giant tarantulas, giant toads and a very large snake! Discover whether dad dares to have a snake wrapped around him! Find out whether mum is really scared of spiders!

For a less scary pastime families can enjoy a heritage walk around Loughborough on Sunday, 24th May following in the infamous footsteps of the Luddites.

The walk will be led by Tony Jarram, author of the Luddite Trail, and will visit all the key local sites connected with Loughborough’s lace-making history and the Luddites that attacked Heathcoat’s factory in 1816. The walk will begin at the Charnwood Museum entrance in Queen’s Park at 2pm and last approximately one hour. The walk is free but pre-booking is required. Copies of the Luddite Trail will be on sale at £1.99 each for those families who want a copy.

The museum is also offering families an opportunity to enjoy arts and crafts together at its popular holiday workshops.

Families can recreate themselves and make their own colourful puppet family at the Finger Puppets workshops on Tuesday, 26th May.

For those inspired by the animal handling workshops there will be an opportunity to make and decorate your own fantasy bug at the Beautiful Bugs workshop on Thursday, 28th May. You can add your creation to the museum’s wildlife wall. Or you can make a wildlife garden and populate it with all your favourite creepy crawlies.

The Finger Puppets and Beautiful Bugs workshops are aimed at children aged three -12 years and their families. Places cost £2 per child. Accompanying adults are free (one free accompanying adult per paying child). Workshop sessions are held at 10.15am-11.15am, 11.45am-12.45pm, 1.30pm-2.30pm, 3pm-4pm. Pre-booking is required.

The Animals in Hands Jungle Giants Roadshow is aimed at visitors aged three and above. Children must be accompanied by a parent, grandparent or carer. Places costs £2 per person and must be booked in advance. Workshops will be held at 10.15am-11.00am, 11.15am-12.00pm, 12.15pm-1.00pm, 1.30pm-2.15pm, 2.30pm-3.15pm, and 3.30pm-4.15pm.

For further details of all events and to make bookings please contact the museum on 01509 233754 or visit the museum.

Charnwood Museum is located in Queen's Park in Loughborough. Opening hours are 10am to 4.30pm on Monday to Saturday and 2pm until 5pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Admission is free.

Charnwood Museum is a partnership between Leicestershire County Council and Charnwood Borough Council.

More about Charnwood Museum - www.leics.gov.uk/charnwoodmuseum

Notes:

Photo Opportunities available at all events. For further details please contact Susan Cooke, Keeper of Charnwood Museum on 01509 233754.

For further information on National Family Week events happening in Leicestershire click onto www.leics.gov.uk/events or pick up an Events Guide from county libraries and museums.

Visit www.nationalfamilyweek.co.uk to find out more about National Family Week and events happening in the UK.

www.leics.gov.uk/charnwood_museum