Museums at Night Festival ~ Coming to a Museum near you?

Who dares to loiter in our lofty halls
while scholars burn their midnight oil at home?

© Caroline Gill 2009

from 'Sleepover at the Museum'

Did you know that the annual  Museums at Night Festival  takes place this week from 15-17 May?

You can read about the organisations behind the festival here and here.  

Back in 2009, The Haddon Library (of Archaeology and Anthropology in the University of Cambridge) arranged a poetry competition to mark its own 70th anniversary in 2006 and the University’s 800th. My poem, 'Sleepover at the Museum', was awarded Third Prize. You can read it here.

Cambridge at Dusk

There are lots of night time museum activities going on, so why not take a look here and see what you can find in your neck of the woods. 

BBC Arts Editor Will Gompertz will be hosting a documentary about the initiative on BBC2 this Saturday night, May 17, at 19.00hrs.

Here are some links to a variety of Museums at Night activities ...

• Cambridge museums, including the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. 

• Museums at Night - London

• Keats House (a chance to get creative)

• Mr Smith at the William Morris Gallery (a chance to help in the creation of some posters)  

• Manchester after hours

• Black Country Museum - Red by Night

 ... and there are many more. Do check the dates and times carefully as the events take place over a three day period. You may need to book in advance for some of the activities.