‘The Dinosaur On Your Doorstep’ and half term fun at our local museum

Hastings Museum & Art Gallery has been awarded £3,500 through The Royal Society’s Places of science scheme to develop the community project ‘The Dinosaur on Your Doorstep’.

The funding will be used to engage with residents in Hollington through exciting events and activities inspired by the museum’s collections and Hastings’ dinosaur heritage.

The museum was one of only 36 museums to be awarded funding through the Places of Science scheme, which aims to celebrate projects that evoke curiosity, interest, and enthusiasm by exploring science in a creative way.

Damian Etheraads, Museum & Cultural Development Manager, added: “We are really pleased to have been awarded Places of Science funding to help support this project. Our thanks go to the Royal Society and to the social housing provider Optivo and charity Fresh Visions who are supporting this project.

“Hastings has an important place in the history of dinosaur studies, with local fossils having influenced early dinosaur studies. We hope that people will enjoy getting involved with the project and learning about The Dinosaur on Your Doorstep.”

Jonathan Ashmore, Chair of the Places of Science panel, and Professor of Biophysics at University College London, said: “The projects funded use a diverse range of creative activities and content to inspire their local communities.

“From using embroidery to teach us about the Quaker scientist John Dalton’s work on meteorology, foraging walks to understand how the wool trade shaped the rich cultural history of Dartmoor, and using recycled tiles and crockery to celebrate a community’s local palaeontology heritage, these museums all welcome and embrace their science stories, past and present.

“Many of this year’s awardees are also actively trying to make sure that their projects are accessible to everyone in their local communities. If your local museum has been given a Places of science award, I would like to encourage you to look out for the displays, festivals, and exhibitions, that celebrate the science on your doorstep and that will inspire local generations to come.”

The Dinosaur on Your Doorstep

‘The Dinosaur on Your Doorstep’ is for people, particularly families with children, living in Hollington. The project has been inspired by the museum’s collections and its recent work on community participation. A local artist will be commissioned to work with local people and families to create a permanent artwork that highlights the Hastings’ dinosaur heritage.

The project will feature a workshop session to create artwork, with additional launch and reveal events taking place as well.

Half term fun at Hastings Museum & Art Gallery

Origami Animals

Families looking for something to do during the school half term holidays can make a date with Hastings Museum & Art Gallery. From Saturday 28 to Sunday 5 June there are drop-in sessions for Animal Origami: you can explore the animals in the museum and make an origami animal to take home with you. Open from 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday and 11am to 4.30pm on Sundays. No booking is necessary.

Open Draw

On the last Sunday of every month (except June), the museum hosts Open Draw from 1-3pm. Let the museum feed your imagination – draw, write or create your own response to the displays. Paper and pencils will be provided for you to use.

Lego Lab

If Lego is your thing, there is a Lego Lab on Tuesday 31 May from 10.30am to 12noon. You can get creative, have fun and make amazing programmable machines and creatures using Lego. Suitable for 5+, booking is essential £3.28 per person – see the museum website www.hmag.org.uk to book.

Bedtime Stories: Beautiful Black Tales from the Past

Also on Tuesday 31 May, author Wendy Shearer is hosting a session exploring her book Bedtime Stories: Beautiful Black Tales from the Past. This is suitable for ages three to six, in partnership with the National Literacy Trust. The event runs from 1-2pm and is free.

You can find out more about Hastings Museum & Art Gallery on their website – hmag.org.uk

 

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