MGM 2008 - Be Good To Your Health At Grantham Museum

by Joanna Shimwell

15/05/2008

Grantham Museum is embracing the ‘Innovation’ theme of National Museums and Galleries Month by holding a one-day event dedicated to alternative therapy and health.

The ‘Innovate your Mind and Body’ event runs all day on Saturday May 17 and includes an evening health fair. The museum will be open until 8pm as part of the ‘Night at the Museum’ celebrations taking place all over the UK.

“A wide variety of free events are focusing on ‘Mind and Body’, which is the National Year of Reading’s theme for the month of May. It’s all about well-being and different ways of looking at health,” says Elessa Maelzer from the Grantham Museum.

Visitors can take part in ‘Oh Soap Simple,’ a traditional soap-making session, running from 10.30am, suitable for all the family to get involved.

There is the chance to ‘Learn Reflexology’ with Holistic Therapist Dawn Langfield, who will give an introduction to the basics of reflexology. Reflexology is the ancient medical practice of applying pressure to the feet and hands to improve health.

From 3pm the history and geology of Crystal Healing and how this can be used with reflexology will be explained.

Historical items linked to health and medicine will be on display in the museum, including medicinal bottles and an old-fashioned dumbbell!

In the evening, the museum will host a range of stalls; health food advice, holistic therapies and make-up demonstrations being just a few of the things to try. Lloyds Pharmacy will be offering diabetes tests to anyone interested in taking part.

The evening health fair is running from 5pm until 8pm, and free refreshments will be available throughout.

Basement tours of Grantham Museum focusing on the local innovators of the area including museum founder Henry Preston, the great scientist Isaac Newton and industrialist Richard Hornsby are also running on the day from 4pm.