The Council is giving residents and visitors a chance to explore parts of the city’s heritage they would normally never get to see as part of a number of upcoming open days.
Heritage Open Week starts on Saturday 25th October and runs until Sunday 2nd November with 20 organisations offering activities for all to enjoy.
Most activities you just turn up but there are some which you need to book in advance so pick up a brochure at your local Council Connect or search for “Heritage Open Week” on the Council website (www.bathnes.gov.uk) to find out more.
There’s a whole variety of things for families and people of all ages in the 2014 special celebration of Heritage in Bath and North East Somerset.
Councillor Ben Stevens (Lib-Dem, Widcombe), Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development, said: “Bath & North East Somerset Council is proud to organise Heritage Open Week and celebrate the area’s distinctive array of heritage sites with this special programme of activities.
“These events can be a thoroughly rewarding experience as you can find out a lot about Bath and North East Somerset’s rich heritage – which might have otherwise been taken for granted.
“On top of that, there are lots of fun things to do and plenty of great ways to keep the kids entertained over the half term holidays.”
The Council’s Victoria Art Gallery opens with The Big Draw: Rhymn-ing Saturday 25th October (11am-3pm) which is an activity for all to get drawing and creating rhythmic patterns inspired by our city’s streets and landscape.
Family activities start at the Roman Baths on Monday 28th October and run every weekday from 10am – 1pm & 2pm – 4pm. They are creating pop up characters from the special hoard of 17,577 coins. This activity is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The fun continues at the Roman Baths on the afternoon of Tuesday 29th October and early evening from 4pm to 7pm with a special torch-lit event investigating treasure. They will be hosting members of the British Museum and Wiltshire Conservation Unit who will be explaining how they look after archeological objects, including coins.
You can also take the chance to get up close using one of the special microscopes to see Roman treasure in detail.
Family activities at the Fashion Museum run Tuesday 29th, Wednesday 30th and Thursday 31st October in the afternoons (2pm-4pm) when they are creating figures with fashion flare. Make life-sized creations in the latest fashions.
New organisations taking part for 2014 are The Institute of Interdisciplinary Arts from the University of Bath who will be hosting ‘The Tour of all Tours’ book a place at their box office on 01225 386777 or try the Visit Bath visitor information centre.
Entry to the Council-run museums for their Heritage Open Week events is free of charge to Bath & North East Somerset Council residents upon production of a Discovery Card. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Please note that not all of the other museums are open free of charge for the whole week and admission charges apply to non-residents.
Other events to consider include:
- Museum of Bath at Work – Monday 27th October at 11am there will be a short film for all those steam-heads in the area. See Enginemen a film from 1959 on steam locomotive drivers.
- Radstock Museum – Monday 27th October 1.30pm are hosting a fossil hunt on a coal spoil heap. Meet at the museum.
- Back for a second year is the popular Falconry Demonstration at the American Museum in Britain on Tuesday 28th at 12.30pm.
