Museums and Galleries Month 2007

For the duration of Museums and Galleries Month 24 Hour Museum’s listings and what’s on section is the place to find out what’s going on in museums, heritage sites and galleries right across the UK.

There are so many events listed that each week we’ll be looking at what's coming up by pulling out some of the more interesting events happening in museums and galleries – just a taster of the many amazing things going on in a museum or heritage site near you.

On Friday May 4 at Dunfermline Abbey the custodians of this ancient place of worship (its foundations date back to 1072) are opening its doors for the Royal re-appearance of Robert the Bruce.

The Robert the Bruce Window at Dunfermline Abbey. The old Scottish King (or someone who looks very like him!) will be making a re-appearance and regaling visitors with a tale or two on May 4. Photo Kirk Session

Between 10.00 and 4.30 the old King of Scotland will be on hand to tell visitors of his time as a king of Independent Scotland during the reign of the Hammer of the Scots Edward I.

The Tower of the Church bears the words King Robert the Bruce, and a large stained glass window celebrates his reign so he should have a tale or two to tell about the venerable building.

The rest of the Bank Holiday Weekend has lots in store. Budding 007’s can head to Spy School at Eureka! The Museum for Children in Halifax on May 5 and experience the glamorous and mysterious double life of a secret agent.

Eureka - dab hands at engaging young minds - will be going all James Bond on May 5. © 24 Hour Museum

Activities lined up for wannabe spooks include code-breaking, secret missions, how to use invisible ink and more. Suitable for all ages.

Also on Friday May 4 Bristol’s City Museum and Art Gallery has an event that will appeal to the sleuth in you, with their Object Detective day featuring Carter the Detective Hound.

This cheeky cartoon character knows all the museum’s hidden secrets – from massive sea monsters to Alfred the gorilla.

Free trail booklets, mini-stickers and badges add to the family fun and there will be rare opportunities to take a peek behind the scenes by winning a special tour that looks at the museum’s Egyptian mummies collection.

Would you like to win the chance to take a behind the scenes look at the mummies at Bristol Museum?

But let’s be honest, if the sun is shining you can’t beat a good old re-enactment; bearded men in tights, women wearing wimples, the clash of swords, the pop of muskets…the drinking of mead from pewter tankards... if this appeals then MGM 2007 won’t disappoint with several historical re-enactments taking place all over the country throughout May.

The bank Holiday weekend sees re-enactments taking in several historical periods. At Caldicot Castle they will be reliving the days of the English Civil War by re-enacting the arrival of a Parliamentarian force to attack the Royalist garrison there.

Picture the scene – it’s 1645 and the King is losing the English Civil War. Parliamentarians are approaching and the desperate Royal garrison anxiously prepares to defend itself against the approaching horde…

Re-enactors return to Caldicot Castle on May 6 & 7. © Caldicot Castle

As well as drill and firing displays and a skirmish, visitors will be able to meet camp followers as they go about their everyday lives and see period clothing, sewing and other craft activities – you can even try on armour or see what it is like to hold a pike - the weapon, not the fish.

Delving even further back in time there will be a Medieval Weekend at Bromham Mill, Bedfordshire, on May 6 and 7. This two-day fest of medieval merriment should have the lot – beards, wimples, swords, battles, jousting and crafts displays.

Another great event where you can discover what life was like in Tudor times gone by is taking place at Bewdley Museum in Worcestershire.

The Elizabethan Day on May 7 will feature feats of skilful archery and period music. Once you’ve had a merry jig to a madrigal you can get acquainted with some ferrets and find out how they were used for hunting in Elizabethan times!

Re-enactors are out in force for MGM 2007.

So there you have it; just the merest taster of what’s going on this Bank Holiday weekend for Museums and Galleries Month 2007. To find out what's going on near you, just enter MGM into the 24 Hour Museum search page.

With over 800 events listed on the 24 Hour Museum there's bound to be something to suit your tastes - whatever they may be.