Mini museums activities for budding history-lovers

A brand new programme of creative events will help little museum-goers take their first steps into exploring history in Leeds.

Activities planned at Leeds City Museum this year will include music, arts and crafts dancing and sign language, all designed to introduce tots to the museum and its collections.

Highlights include the new Museum Minis trail, a free trail to help toddlers explore the museum, and regular Tiny Tigers craft sessions, free craft activities every Friday for the under 5s and their carers from 10am until 11.45.

And new for spring 2016 will be Tiny Tempo’s musical workshops, inspired by the museum’s spectacular Life on Earth Gallery, which features animals from across the world. Booking for these sessions is advised.

Sessions run on February 24 and then on March 9th, 16th and 30th from 10.30-11.45. They are free or on a pay as you feel basis.

Also taking place in spring for the first time will be Tiny Signers sessions which will include singing, puppets, musical instruments, stories and British Sign Language signs. Booking places in advance is advised.

Sessions will also take place in the Special Exhibition Gallery and will look at themes from the museum’s Changing Faces of Leeds exhibition, which has collected images of the people of Leeds through the ages.

The sessions will run on March 3, 10, 17 and 24 and are also free or on a pay as you feel basis.

Finally in summer, a new dance project entitled Dance; Together will lead young visitors and their parents and carers in weekly creative play sessions led by dance artist Rachel Dean, with a chance to perform at Leeds City Museum.

Sessions are free or pay as you feel and will take place June 14, 21 and 28 and July 5 and 8.

Those wanting to take part will need to attend all the sessions to create the final piece, which will be performed on Saturday, July 9 at 3pm.

Councillor Brian Selby, Leeds City Council’s lead member for museums and galleries, said:

“This new programme is a great way to introduce young people to the museum and really fire their imaginations.

“Activities like these are the perfect way to engage a younger audience with something fun and exciting and hopefully nurture a lasting love of history and culture.”

Leeds City Museum is on Millennium Square, Cookridge Street, Leeds LS2 8BH

To book your place on the workshops, please call 0113 2243732/2243726 or email city.museum@leeds.gov.uk

For more information visit leeds.gov.uk/museumminis

ENDS

Stuart Robinson

Communications Officer

Leeds City Council

Tel: 0113 224 3937

Email: stuart.robinson@leeds.gov.uk

www.leeds.gov.uk