For three nights in May, a large number of the UK’s art and museum attractions will be opening their doors to night visitors.
Conjuring images of the spooky goings-on in Hollywood’s Night at the Museum movie franchise, Britain’s museums will be welcoming late night guests for two nights between May 16 and 18. The special event is part of a Europe-wide initiative, La Nuit des Musees, which has now also been adopted by Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain and Germany after being conceived in France in 2005.
The event is not limited to museums, but will also include some observatories, stately homes and botanical gardens in the UK and on the continent.
While openings will be taking place in many locations all across the country, the north of England has particularly embraced the event, with the Lancashire region, Newcastle and Liverpool all offering a range of options over the two nights. Lancashire has scheduled 20 events with a local history theme for its ‘Festival of Wonders’, while 50 museums and galleries will be opening in the Newcastle area to host special events for its ‘Late Shows’, and Liverpool’s ‘Light Night’ will see many of the city’s arts and historical venues staying open until the early hours.
Not to be outdone by the north of England, London will also be hosting a number of events, while in Scotland, Edinburgh’s offering has adopted a dinosaur theme. Top artists from across the UK are also signing up to take part in special events to mark the occasion.
