Post-Christmas planning from Birmingham Museums to avoid the January blues
After the excitement of Christmas, for many people, January is a long, dreary month but the team at Birmingham Museums has come up with a top list of tips to beat the winter blues with events and tours to lift the spirit and expand the mind!
“January can be a particularly tough month, and a real anti-climax after the Christmas season, but we’re determined to get 2016 off to a flying start, so we’ve created a fantastic programme of events and activities to add a spark to everyone’s New Year,” comments Alex Nicholson-Evans, Commercial Development Manager. “Whether your New Year resolutions include adding an extra bit of culture to your diary, enjoying the outdoors, or learning a new skill, we’ve got something for everyone!”
For anyone whose wallet is left rather empty after the Christmas season, a warm welcome is provided within Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery – and it is completely free! “It is easy to spend several hours wandering around the galleries and exploring world-class treasures like the Staffordshire Hoard, and with our new Mini Museum for young children with dressing up activities and books, this can be a great day out without having to spend a penny,” says Janine Eason, Director of Engagement. “Of course, if you are looking for a refuge whilst friends and family are braving the January sales, the Edwardian Tearooms offer fantastic refreshments in a stunning setting, too.”
Indeed, the Tearooms will also provide a relaxed setting for a special evening event on Friday 29 January, when the Museum plays host to ‘Drink and Draw’. This is a wonderful social event, with free admission, for anyone who enjoys drawing or fancies trying their hands at something different as a way to relax. Drinks provide added inspiration in the form of tea leaves or a refreshing alcoholic beverage to stoke creativity. The Tearooms will remain open until 10.30pm – pens and paper provided!
Making full use of the dark nights that winter brings, Aston Hall is hosting an evening that will launch 2016 with a chill down the spine! As one of Britain’s most haunted buildings, brave adventurers are invited to join a special tour of the house after dark, on Saturday 23 January, searching out the spectral remnants of the Hall’s colourful past! Not suitable for the young or weak of heart, these tours promise thrills and frights that you’ll never forget! A variety of drinks will be available in the café from 4pm to help calm the nerves! Tours start at 5pm, 6.30pm and 8.00pm and cost £9 for adults and £8 for concessions. Availability is very limited, so prebooking is essential – call 0121 348 8038 or book online at www.birminghammuseums.org.uk
Other dates for the diary in early 2016 include:
- An Enchanted Evening (20 February) – What better time is there to view the classic ER Hughes painting, Night with Her Train of Stars, than twilight, and this special reception, which is hosted on the final evening of the exhibition, will include many surprises including a unique star-lit pop-up bar experience, with a specially created cocktail prepared by the tastemeisters of Snow Queen Vodka! The event is only suitable for over 18s, and costs £15.75 per person. Two time slots are available, 6.00pm to 7.30pm and 8.00pm to 9.30pm. Prebooking is essential. Book online via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-enchanted-evening-tickets-19798557017
- Winter Heritage Tours – Birmingham Museums’ Heritage Sites remain open throughout the winter with special Heritage Tours available at many of the properties, including Blakesley Hall, Sarehole Mill and Soho House on Wednesdays and Thursdays, priced at just £7 per person. Visit www.birminghammuseums.org.uk for further details.
For more activities and events at Birmingham Museums, please visit www.birminghammuseums.org.uk
ENDS
For further media information or photographs, please contact:
Jay Commins
Pyper York Limited
Tel: 0121 285 9899
Email: jay@pyperyork.co.uk
