Chance to enjoy a dark night at the museums (From Bicester Advertiser)

Chance to enjoy a dark night at the museums

7:00pm Thursday 10th May 2012 in News

IF YOU’VE ever wondered what happens at the county’s museums after dark, next Friday is the perfect time to find out.

And you might be surprised to find DJs playing in Oxford’s historic Ashmolean while a murder mystery unfolds in Wallingford.

World renowned museums, including the Pitt Rivers in Oxford, are taking part in the national Museums at Night event.

It gives people the chance to visit their favourite attractions after hours – and for the first time, the University of Oxford’s four museums have joined forces to present a series of late night events.

The Ashmolean will be running a Grand Tour, with guided tours and family activities from 6-9pm and music in the atrium.

This will be followed by the ‘adults only’ Ashmolean Late Night event, featuring new DJs and bands at the museum until 1am.

Spokesman Susie Gault said: “This is a great chance to come and visit the museum at night. And it is exciting for the four museums to be joining together like this.”

Music will also be at the forefront of events at the Pitt Rivers Museum and the University Museum of Natural History in Parks Road.

The Pitt Rivers will be brightly lit with colourful lights and DJs Noel Lobley and Rupert Gill will provide an eclectic mix of music, including sounds from the museum archive.

The Museum of the History of Science in Broad Street will be showcasing its new exhibition, The Renaissance in Astronomy.

Over at the Wallingford Museum, in the town’s High Street, visitors can follow in the footsteps of famous local resident Agatha Christie for a mystery evening.

Museum treasurer Jenny Carpenter said: “The museum takes on a very different atmosphere at night, it can be quite spooky. The building is very old, so you never know who will be watching. I think it will be a very fun evening for everyone who visits.”

For more information about the event, visit culture24.org.uk.