Explore the undersea world at the time of the Dinosaurs with Craft Academy this half term

Looking for something to do with the kids this this half term?  Come and join us for a morning of messy fun at Dorset County Museum’s Craft Academy on Wednesday 31 May 10.30am – 12.30pm

Due to the popular Craft Academy early this year, we will be revisiting the undersea world taking inspiration from our spotlight exhibition ‘Nautilus: Beautiful Survivor – 500 million years of evolutionary history’ based on the book by Wolfgang Grulke, which finishes end of May.  In the Victorian Hall children will have a chance to learn and create creatures that lived in the sea at the time of the Dinosaurs.

We’ll provide the materials and the inspiration – you’ll create a wonderful piece to take home with you. Even better, it’s absolutely FREE thanks to sponsorship from Battens Solicitors.

Each time you create a masterpiece at one of our sessions, we will stamp your Craft Academy passport. If you collect three stamps we’ll give you a special certificate.

The next Craft Academy sessions for 2017:

• Wednesday 2nd August

Related Links:

• Nautilus Exhibition at the Dorset County Museum extended to 30 May 2017
• New exhibition explores one of nature’s beautiful survivors the Nautilus
• Wolfgang Grulke – www.nautilus-thebook.com

Craft Academy: Dragons and Dinosaurs

Fabulous beasts on Roman Mosaic, Dewlish © DCM 2017

Looking for something to do with the kids this Easter? Come and join us for a morning of messy fun at Dorset County Museum’s Craft Academy on Wednesday during the Easter Holidays, 10.30am – 12.30pm.

The theme for Wednesday 19 April is Dragons and Dinosaurs’. Our special St George’s Day theme event will look at how dinosaur fossils may have been misinterpreted as dragons and fabulous beasts in the past and we will look at the familiar traits they may have shared in folklore and art.

We’ll provide the materials and the inspiration – you’ll create a wonderful piece to take home with you. Even better, it’s absolutely FREE thanks to sponsorship from Battens Solicitors.

Each time you create a masterpiece at one of our sessions, we will stamp your Craft Academy passport. If you collect three stamps we’ll give you a special certificate.

The next Craft Academy sessions for 2017:

• Wednesday 31 May
• Wednesday 2 August

For further information contact the Museum on on 01305 756827 or check the website on www.dorsetcountymuseum.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Craft Academy: Learn Printmaking

St. Peters Church, Dorchester engraved by William Barnes

Looking for something to do with the kids this Easter?  Come and join us for a morning of messy fun at Dorset County Museum’s Craft Academy on Wednesday during the Easter Holidays, 10.30am – 12.30pm.

The theme for Wednesday 12 April is Printmaking. We’ve been inspired by our current exhibition in the tea room ‘Praise O’Do’set’ – an exhibition of hand painted woodblock prints illustrating the poetry of William Barnes by artist Jennifer Martindale and children will be able to create their own pieces of art using lots of different printing methods.

We’ll provide the materials and the inspiration – you’ll create a wonderful piece to take home with you. Even better, it’s absolutely FREE thanks to sponsorship from Battens Solicitors.

Each time you create a masterpiece at one of our sessions, we will stamp your Craft Academy passport. If you collect three stamps we’ll give you a special certificate.

The next Craft Academy sessions for 2017:

• Wednesday 19 April
• Wednesday 31 May
• Wednesday 2 August

For further information contact the Museum on on 01305 756827 or check the website on www.dorsetcountymuseum.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Undersea Fun with the Dorset County Museum’s Craft Academy

Looking for something to do with the kids this this half term?  Come and join us for a morning of messy fun at Dorset County Museum’s Craft Academy on Wednesday 15 February 10.30am – 12.30pm

Taking inspiration from our current spotlight exhibition ‘Nautilus: Beautiful Survivor – 500 million years of evolutionary history’ based on the book by Wolfgang Grulke in the Victorian Hall children will have a chance to learn and create creatures that live in the sea and their environment.

We’ll provide the materials and the inspiration – you’ll create a wonderful piece to take home with you. Even better, it’s absolutely FREE thanks to sponsorship from Battens Solicitors.

Each time you create a masterpiece at one of our sessions, we will stamp your Craft Academy passport. If you collect three stamps we’ll give you a special certificate.

The next Craft Academy sessions for 2017:

• Wednesday 12 April

• Wednesday 19 April

• Wednesday 31 May

• Wednesday 2nd August

Related Links:

• Nautilus Exhibition at the Dorset County Museum extended to 30 May 2017
• New exhibition explores one of nature’s beautiful survivors the Nautilus
• Wolfgang Grulke – www.nautilus-thebook.com

Half Term Fun with Craft Academy

Looking for something to do with the kids? Come and join us for a morning of messy fun at Dorset County Museum’s brand new Craft Academy on Wednesday 17th February in half term from 10.30am to 12.30pm

Using the Victorian Gallery displays as inspiration, can you help us create an online collection of fabulous things?

We’ll provide the materials and the inspiration – you’ll create a wonderful piece to take home with you. Even better, it’s absolutely FREE thanks to sponsorship from Battens Solicitors.

Each time you create a masterpiece, we will stamp your Craft Academy passport. If you collect three stamps we’ll give you a special certificate. If you’re able to collect all five this year we’ll give you a prize!!

Two children admitted with each accompanying adult, suggested age range 5 – 11 years.

The next Craft Academy sessions for 2016:

• Wednesday 30th March
• Wednedsday 6th April
• Wednesday 1st June
• Wednesday 3rd August

For further information contact the Museum on on 01305 756827 or check the website on www.dorsetcountymuseum.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Mini Maiden Castle Free Family Activity Morning

On Wednesday 29th July at the Dorset County Museum children are being invited to come along to this fun event and find out all about the history of Maiden Castle. They will be able to enjoy a craft session and make their very own mini Maiden Castle to take home!

This activity takes place between 10.30am – 12.30pm. There’s no need to book as this activity is FREE thanks to generous sponsorship from Battens Solicitors. Up to two accompanied children aged 4 -12 will be admitted per adult.

For further information about this Family Activity contact the Museum on on 01305 756827 or check the website on www.dorsetcountymuseum.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Become an Archaeologist at Dorset County Museum!

On Wednesday 27th May at the Dorset County Museum children are being invited to bring along their own back garden finds and learn all about them from archaeology experts.

At this fun event they will find out all about the fascinating world of archaeology, get hands on in an excavation pit and enjoy a craft session.

This activity takes place between 10.30am – 12.30pm. There’s no need to book as this activity is FREE thanks to generous sponsorship from Battens Solicitors. Up to two accompanied children aged 4 -12 will be admitted per adult.

For further information about this Family Activity contact the Museum on 01305 756827 or check the website on www.dorsetcountymuseum.org

Spring holiday family fun at Dorset County Museum

Holiday Family activities continue to be FREE at Dorset County Museum thanks to generous sponsorship from Battens Solicitors.

The activity during spring half term is on Wednesday 18th February. Find out all about the amazing round houses that Iron Age people lived in on top of Maiden Castle and all over Dorset, then build your own model to take home. This takes place between 10.30am and 12.30pm and there’s no need to book.

At Easter the family activities focus on some of the burial customs from ancient times – looking at how people were buried and what special objects were chosen to go into the grave. There will also be an opportunity to find out more about the Museum’s famous horned Ooser.

Dorset County Museum welcomes families and has a range of family trails and plenty of activities for children in the galleries.

For further information please see www.dorsetcountymuseum.org or telephone 01305 262735.

Dates of Family Activities at the Dorset County Museum as follows:

• 18th February: Make a Replica Iron Age Round House – 10.30am and 12.30pm
• 1st April: Brilliant Burials and Skeletons – 10.30am and 12.30pm
• 8th April: Make a Dorset Ooser Mask – 10.30am and 12.30pm

Victorian Hallowe’en Customs And Crafts

Frankenstein meets whimsy in the family activity at Dorset County Museum taking place this half term.

The theme for the session on Wednesday 29th October is the Victorian view of Hallowe’en. The crafts and activities on offer have been specially chosen to illustrate some of the little known Victorian superstitions and beliefs.

Participants can make black cats out of paper plates or maybe a scary Frankenstein mask – the author Mary Shelley was a classic gothic novelist of the day!

Find out all about Victorian Hallowe’en cards which were not designed to scare the recipient, but were rather pretty with colourful paintings of witches, black cats, broomsticks and bats.

All are welcome to come along to this friendly family activity, which is provided FREE of charge thanks to continued sponsorship by Battens Solicitors through their charitable trust. The event starts at 10.30am and runs until 12.30pm. Adults must stay with their children at all times, but are welcome to take part in the craft activities.

There is no need to book. For more information visit www.dorsetcountymuseum.org

Upcoming Museum Events over Summer 2014

Family Activities

Family activities continue to be FREE at Dorset County Museum thanks to generous sponsorship from Battens Solicitors. There is an exciting programme for the Summer Holidays including:

• 23rd July: Stone Age Art

• 30th July: Make a Celtic Mirror

• 6th August: Clone Henge!

• 27th Aug: Brilliant Bronze Age

For further information contact the Museum on 01305 262735 or check the website on www.dorsetcountymuseum.org

Jurassic Fun

A recent addition to our Jurassic Coast Gallery is a large LEGO® model of a fierce Megalosaurus dinosaur. There are two LEGO®-based events, on 12th and 20th August, building a giant mosaic of a Megalosaurus out of LEGO® bricks. Aimed at children aged 5 – 10, spaces will be limited and every child will receive a brand new model made of LEGO® to put together at home. The cost is just £10 per child.

Young Archaeologists’ Club

The Young Archaeologists’ Club (YAC) is the only UK-wide club for young people interested in archaeology. The club is run by Council for British Archaeology (CBA), an educational charity working for over 65 years to promote ‘Archaeology for All’. YAC’s vision is for all young people to have opportunities to be inspired and excited by archaeology, and to empower them to help shape its future. A new Young Archaeologists’ Club (for ages 8 to 17) is being established at the Museum, running on the first Saturday of every month. 10.30am to 12.30pm. For ages 8 – 17. Book your place soon as numbers are limited.

• To find out more about the Young Archaeologists’ Club and LEGO® events and to reserve your place, please phone Dorset County Museum on 01305 756827.