Manchester Museum is set to re-open its newly renovated Nature Discovery gallery this weekend. The gallery is a space which encourages children to take their adults through an exploration of the natural world.
The Museum, which is based at the University of Manchester on Oxford Road, is set to relaunch the gallery with a Big Saturday event on Saturday 13th December between 11am and 4pm. The event, which is being dubbed Winter Wonderland, will feature activities for the whole family, giving people the opportunity to make paper craft decorations, handle Museum objects and decorate Manchester Museum’s tree. The free event will also feature short story telling sessions throughout the afternoon (booking on arrival necessary) and a drop-in sensory play session for babies and their carers taking place throughout the day.
The first floor Nature Discovery area gives under 5s and their families the chance to search for creatures, create fantastical stories and experience a number of habitats. The gallery features The Den – a cosy reading area with animals hiding around the tree trunks; The Meadow with plants, butterflies, insects and underground animals for children to look for; The Treetops with a variety of birds; and The Forest, with a 3D paper story book art installation where visitors will be able to spot a variety of animals between the paper cut trees.
Esme Ward, Heading of Learning and Engagement at Manchester Museum commented “At the heart of this redevelopment is Manchester Museum’s firmly held belief in the potential of museums and galleries to enrich, surprise and engage young children and their adults. We know that parents and teachers value our spaces for their potential for exploration and discovery. Nature Discovery builds on this, and provides a captivating view of the natural world that we hope will harness our visitors’ imaginations, both young and old.”
The Living Worlds gallery will actually open earlier than normal at 9am for self-led tours, which the rest of the museum will open at 10am.
Entry to Manchester Museum is free of charge.
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