“It is a highly exciting project and the plans for how both buildings are going to look are fantastic. These are going to be wonderful, educational attractions for people to come and visit, and the people of Leeds will be very proud of these great new facilities for generations to come.”
The exhibitions will be interactive and child-friendly. The “World View” Gallery will initially focus on Africa and its culture while the “Treasures” Gallery will explore what makes objects valuable and why people collect them.
Further exhibitions will include “Ancient Worlds” – looking at life and death in ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt, and a “Natural Sciences” Gallery which will explore the variety of life on our planet and, more locally, environmental issues in Leeds.
Well-loved objects will include the full-size Giant Irish Elk, the Leeds Tiger, ‘Nessy’, the 3000-year old Egyptian ‘Leeds Mummy’ and a recreation of a back-to-back house.
The first special exhibition will be the stomach-turning ‘Eating Creepy Crawlies ‘ on loan from the National History Museum.
Throughout the opening weekend a rich program of festivities has been planned in and around Millennium Square. Events include Roman soldiers, face painting, craft sessions, children's activities, open-air displays, a ‘Meet the Romans’ tent with a military march at noon.
There will also be music and dance shows by leading local and national performers including the Northern Ballet Theatre, Yorkshire Dance and RJC Dance.
Her Royal Highness, The Countess of Wessex, will visit the museum on Friday, the eve of the Grand Opening. Winners of the ‘Golden Ticket’ competition and those who queued to get special ‘early bird’ tickets will be the first through the doors on Saturday September 13 before the museum is opened to the public at 11.00am.
The Heritage Lottery Fund, Leeds City Council, the Single Regeneration Budget and Yorkshire Forward funded Leeds’ City Museum. There is a small charge for the special exhibitions but the museum itself is free.
