Our pick of the events at Cambridge’s Twilight at the Museums
This half-term Cambridge’s museums have put together a host of activities children can try out at home – including hosting a digital sleepover experience.
As part of the Twilight at the Museums events, many of which are online for Covid safety reasons, children can tune into a special tale from renowned storyteller Wendy Shearer inspired by objects from the Fitzwilliam Museum, theatre performances full of chance encounters with wild animals and mythical beasts, climate change karaoke, ‘spooky’ encounters at the Sedgwick Museum, den-building, crafts and more.
The highlight is set to be the digital sleepover where TV presenters and YouTubers Maddie Moate and Greg Foot, best known for CBeebies’ Maddie’s Do You Know?, Blue Peter and Let’s Go Live, will be hosting a live interactive, twilight adventure inside the Botanic Garden glasshouses.
Follow Maddie and Greg live as they find clues, solve puzzles, and search the tropical rainforests and deserts of the garden to find the secrets of the moonflower which flowered there for the first time last year.
Susan Miller, Twilight at Home co-ordinator, said: “With the uncertainty that currently surrounds the safety of large-scale public events, we are delighted to be able to bring some of the magic of our popular Twilight event into people’s homes.
“With its exciting mix of science, storytelling, games, crafts and performances, this programme allows families to enjoy a whole range of collections-themed activities in a way which suits them. Our museums and partners will also be hosting drop-in and bookable activities throughout the week for anyone keen to get out and about.”
Sign up at museums.cam.ac.uk/twilight to receive a sleepover planning guide full of tips and activities to help them prepare, suggested itineraries, and access to the event itself.
The sleepover experience forms part of a broad programme of half-term activities which also includes in-person events across the city’s museums and partner organisations, and unique events for families with children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Pick of the events
Gods and Goddesses of the Night Sky
- Museum of Classical Archaeology
- February 14-20
- Follow the trail around the museum and find out the Greek and Roman names for planets.
- Anyone who finds them all will receive a small reward. Pick up a copy of the trail at the front desk.
Meet a Soldier-at-Sea!
- Online
- 4.30-5.30pm, February 14
- The Cromwell Museum is running this live-stream where viewers can meet 17th-century soldiers and sailors on their way to the West Indies.
Twilight History Explorers
- Museum of Cambridge
- 4.30-6.30pm, February 15
- Free with normal admission.
- Join the Museum of Cambridge after hours, to explore the collection under a different light. Bring a torch, pick up a self-guided trail, and start discovering fascinating secrets.
You and I and samurai - story-making in the gallery
- University Library
- 9am-5pm, February 14-18
- Samurai: History and Legend exhibition – story-making booklets and step stools will be available. Find inspiration for a samurai story by looking closely at medieval manuscripts and more.
Digital Sleepover
- Online
- From 4.30pm, February 16
- Sign up at https://mailchi.mp/museums/twilight.
The Mystery of the Moonflower – an interactive twilight adventure with Maddie & Greg
- Online
- 7pm February 16
- Join at bit.ly/MoonflowerMystery – part of the Digital Sleepover.
Seeing stars at the Whipple Museum
- 2-3.30pm, February 18
- Explore telescopes, planets and models of the universe.
Ghostly characters at the Sedgwick Museum
- February 14 to 19
- A free trail about those who have made a significant contribution.