insideKENT Magazine Issue 52 - July 2016 | Page 96

VISITKENT

Summer at Maidstone Museum
This summer Maidstone Museum has a fantastic array of events and
exhibitions offering something for everyone. There are lots of activities for
children over the summer holidays, as well as their regular Museum Lates
for adults and the new ‘Café Culture’ club for the over 65s.

If you’ve ever wondered about the expression
‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure’ then
come along and see upcycling in action in the
brand new headline exhibition Treasures from
Trash. Explore some amazing upcycled and
recycled objects from around the world, including
personal items such as toys, games, ornaments
and accessories. The exhibition runs from 9th
July to 10th September, with opportunities to
have a go at some fun, family upcycling activities
in the galleries every Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday between 27th July and 26th August.
Bring a picnic to Brenchley Gardens on Saturday
23rd July and join in the Teddy Bears’ Picnic. A
host of activities around the museum and in the
gardens include face painting, storytelling, teddythemed card craft and a trail to explore. All teddy
bears are welcome!
Dig a little deeper into Maidstone’s past at the
Festival of Archaeology on Saturday 30th July.
Talk to local archaeologists and handle artefacts
before unearthing your own ancient finds in the
sandpit dig. Children can also make a pilgrim
badge or a clay Roman oil lamp to take home.

At 11am, Dr Sophia Adams will be giving a talk
on the amazing Boughton Malherbe hoard, one
of the largest ever found. The hoard was
discovered in 2011 and included more than 350
bronze weapons, tools, ornaments and other
objects dating to the late Bronze Age.
Maidstone Museum is spicing things up at the
Museum Lates over the summer, with an
‘Absolutely Fabulous’ night in July. Hear from
their curators about the excesses of costume in
their collection – what would Patsy and Edina
choose? Then in August, join them for a Film
Night featuring Trash, an action-adventure filmed
in Brazil. Enjoy a traditional Brazilian meal of black
bean Feijoada served with rice and deep fried
banana and cabbage Miniera while you watch,
with a free Cachaca cocktail! A vegetarian option
will also be available. Booking for this event is
essential as places are limited.
Explore your creative side on 27th August at the
‘Bean a Sack’ workshop. Using an old coffee
bean sack, learn how to create a useful and
decorative notice board and container to take
home. There will be two sessions on the day,

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with a maximum of 10 people per session, so
be sure to book early!
The Café Gallery plays host to an Eclectic
exhibition from 1st – 24th July as the museum
celebrates the achievements of the Art & Design
students from Oakwood Park Grammar School.
The work showcases the wide range of concepts,
materials and processes the students explore in
their work, as well as their boundless creativity.
This will be followed by an exhibition from Gary
Hughes entitled The Point of Landscape in
Cornwall. All the work featured was painted
recently in Cornwall and demonstrates, largely
through the use of pointillist technique, aspects
of the county familiar to its many visitors.
The museum also invites the over 65s to join
them in the Café on the last Friday of each month
for ‘Café Culture’. These informal drop-in sessions
include object handling and a chance to chat
with curators and other visitors.
www.maidstonemuseum.org