A programme of family-friendly events inspired by New Walk Museum’s new major summer exhibition continues this weekend.
What’s in-store?
Tomorrow (Saturday 19 August), there’s a chance to find out more about the South Indian tradition of shadow theatre while making your very own shadow puppet. The shadow puppet workshop runs from 2pm until 4pm and tickets cost £6.
Later that afternoon – at 5.30pm – there will be a performance by the Indian Marionettes of the Kathputli Puppet Show.Immersing the audience in Indian culture, the show will use beautiful hand-carved puppets, colourful fabrics and dynamic music to recreate the entertainment of the majestic courts of Rajasthan.
Skillful puppeteers will bring to life a range of puppets, including jugglers, acrobats, dancers, and the snake charmer with his deadly cobra. The 45-minute show starts at 5.30pm and tickets cost £7 (£5 concessions).
Pre-booking for the shadow puppet workshop and the Kathputli Puppet Show is essential, and tickets are available from New Walk Museum on (0116) 225 4920.
The programme of events continues on Monday (21 August), when a very special visitor will be calling in to New Walk Museum for a Victorian-themed day. ‘Queen Victoria’ will drop by to meet people as they discover the museum’s Victorian collection and its new Splendours of the Subcontinent exhibition.
There will also be a travelling sideshow, showcasing curiosities and artefacts that Victorian audiences would have enjoyed, a magic lantern show, and lots of opportunities to have a go at Victorian craft activities and dress up in period costume. Visitors will have the chance to make kites, spinning tops and thaumatropes, while anyone with an interest in fossils will be able to join Dr Mark Evans in the dinosaur gallery for a special ‘Fossils in Focus’ session.
Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, ‘Gloriana Victoriana’ runs from 11am until 4pm. All activities are free of charge.
All the activities in the summer programme tie in with Splendours of the Subcontinent: A Prince’s Tour 1875-6 – the exhibition that opened last month. Admission to the exhibition – which features more than 70 extraordinary items – is free of charge and the exhibition continues at New Walk Museum until Sunday 29 October.
