Press Release

Family Fun at the Tower this Weekend

Tuesday 13th May

A world of wonder awaits the whole family at the Tower Museum this summer with a number of exciting and interactive exhibitions that will delight young and old and provide everyone with a memorable day out.

A special weekend has been arranged with the kids in mind, this weekend, to celebrate Museums and Galleries Month, when the Tower Museum will host an exclusive viewing of Nick Park's Oscar® winning animation ‘The Wrong Trousers’ and Aardman’s ‘Shaun the Sheep’.

The Wrong Trousers is a funny family film in which cash-strapped Wallace unknowingly takes in notorious criminal Feather McGraw as a lodger and unwittingly gets into lots of trouble. Sly McGraw uses one of Wallace’s clever inventions, a pair of ‘Techno Trousers’, to force him to steal a priceless diamond from a local museum, before faithful Gromit comes to his rescue and helps him to return the diamond!

Similarly Aardman’s ‘ Shaun the Sheep’ is another delightful character. Shaun is a sheep that isn’t a follower of the flock, rather a rebel who leads them into all kinds of bother and mishap, with very funny consequences. Both exclusive viewings will be on Saturday 17 May at 5.30pm and on Sunday 18 May at 2pm. Patrons should note that the museum is closed on Sunday except for the film screening.

There will be a reduced admission fee of £1.00 all weekend, with admission to the films being free, however seats must be booked in advance. All bookings must be made with the receptionist at the Tower Museum on 028 71372411 or by emailing museums@derrycity.gov.uk.

Margaret Edwards, Education Officer for the Museums and Heritage Service, says that this is a wonderful opportunity for local families to introduce the intrigue and fun of the Tower Museum to their youngest members. She continued

“The success of our in-house screenings was fantastic last year and when we discovered that the Museums and Galleries Month was focusing on young families this time round we were thrilled. This event enables us to welcome children and their families to visit the Museum, have an entertaining time, enjoy the family-friendly exhibits and facilities and show them that a trip to the Tower is the perfect way to spend a fun and entertaining day together.”

“People have many opportunities for leisure these days and so museums are now recognising that they have to work that bit harder to get the family market - by giving them a reason to visit and a choice of experiences once they come through the doors.”

The Tower Museum does just that, spanning over five floors, it is a 21st century centrepiece of living history, and light years from the reverential hush of some old-style museums. Using a variety of multi-media and interactive displays to bring its two central exhibitions, Spanish Armada and The Story of Derry, to life, the museum has achieved a modern appeal and is very family-friendly in its approach to inter-generational learning.

A special family backpack is available for children containing items such as puzzles, colouring pads, pens, pencils and an MP3 information player, compass, pretend artefacts and a jigsaw of the Spanish Armada that will extend the fun of a day trip to the Tower Museum beyond the city walls.

Museums at Night weekend from Friday 16 to Sunday 18 May is part of Museums and Galleries Month (MGM) and coincides with the major European initiative Nuit des Musées on Saturday 17 May, supported by the Council of Europe. The Tower Museum is one of more than seventy museums and galleries taking part in this event in association with Aardman Animations.

The Tower Museum will open for the International celebration of “Museums At Night” on the 16 May between 6-10pm. A reduced rate of £1.00 admission will be on offer for the evening. It is an opportunity to see the “Story of Derry” exhibition and “La Trinidad Valencera” exhibition at a time when the Museum is usually closed to the public.

For further information on the weekend’s promotions and free screenings contact the Tower Museum 028 7137 2411.

Ends

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