Manchester Museum February Listings

HERE’S your complete list of all exhibitions and events taking place throughout the month of February at Manchester Museum.

Exhibitions

All exhibitions at The Manchester Museum are FREE

Unearthed: Ancient Egypt (until 6 September 2012)

Join the team to help investigate and record the many objects they’ve found. After some training you can claim your archaeologist’s certificate and get to work.

Some of the objects in the exhibition will be going on display in The Manchester Museum’s new Ancient Worlds galleries, opening late 2012. So these new galleries can be created, The Daily Life section of the Museum’s Ancient Egypt gallery is now closed but most of the Museum’s mummies and archaeology collection will stay on display until Feb 2012.

The stories behind objects in The Manchester Museum can tell us many things about Manchester’s history

Grave Secrets: Tales of the Ancient Nubians (until 4 March 2012)

An exhibition of bone specimens and artefacts excavated during the Archaeological Survey of Nubia (1907-1911), revealing the lives of the inhabitants of ancient Nubia, Egypt’s southern neighbour.

The exhibition features specimens from the Nubian Pathological Collection housed in the Natural History Museum, London, material from the KNH Centre for Biomedical Egyptology at The University of Manchester, displayed alongside excavation photos and artefacts from The Manchester Museum.

Curiosities - Celebrating Trees (until 5 February 2012)

An exhibition displaying the winning entries from the Curiosities favourite tree photography competition.

Competition entrants were asked to take photos of their favourite trees, to create images that tell a story.

The Museum Allotment (until autumn 2012)

See what’s growing in The Museum Allotment. The allotment has been inspired by the Museum’s new Living Worlds gallery which explores the connections between all living things, including us, and shows how we can all shape the future by the choices we make (such as growing our own food).

The Museum has also unearthed all sorts of extraordinary related objects – from a 17th century watering can and dried pea plants found on the banks of the River Mersey to ancient Egyptian farming tools and a wide range of garden insects.

Urban Naturalist, Manchester Art Gallery

Family events and activities:

Most activities are free and drop-in. Some activities may need to be booked on the day and may cost up to £1.50. All ages welcome.

February half term: Unearthed: Ancient Egypt

Monday 13 – Friday 17 February, 11am-4pm

Dress like an ancient Egyptian and make bracelets, headdresses or amulets.

Magic Carpet: Manchester

Friday 24 February, 11am-12pm

Storytelling and activity session for under 5s and their families. Hear the story of Maharajah the Elephant, who walked from Edinburgh to Belle Vue Zoo, Manchester.

Book on 0161 275 2648 (from 17 February), £1 per child, under 5s and their families.

Big Saturday: Manchester

Saturday 25 February, 11am-4pm

The stories behind objects in The Manchester Museum can tell us many things about Manchester’s history – from the peppered moth’s changes due to climate change to Maharaja the elephant’s walk from Edinburgh to Manchester’s Belle Vue Zoo.

Investigate these and other objects in our Manchester Gallery; Find out about Manchester’s role in understanding climate change by sharing your knowledge of weather in the past; Discover more about different dialects and languages in Manchester; Handle objects from the collection; Learn French and find out about the Manchester lions.

Part of Manchester Histories Festival www.manchesterhistoriesfestival.org.uk

In Touch

Daily, 11am-3pm

Visit one of our handling tables and get hands-on with objects from the collection, such as an armadillo shell, an Alexander the Great coin, a whale’s tooth and ancient Egyptian objects.

Play + Learn

Daily

A dedicated space for children and their families to read, draw and relax on their visit to the Museum.

Family Backpacks

Daily

Borrow one of our family backpacks jammed with games and activities to do in the galleries. A range of content make them suitable for all ages.

Discovery Centre

Saturdays & Sundays, 11am-4pm

Drop into the Discovery Centre for drawing and other art activities inspired by the Museum's collection and pick up one of our free Museum activity sheets.

Eight lions and umbrella living worlds, Manchester Art Gallery

Museum Meets – The Manchester Museum’s adult programme:

Book all events on 0161 275 2648

Tour of Grave Secrets: Tales of the Ancient Nubians

Wednesday 8 February, 1-2pm

Tour of Grave Secrets: Tales of the Ancient Nubians - an exhibition of bone specimens and artefacts excavated during the Archaeological Survey of Nubia (1907-1911), revealing the lives of the inhabitants of ancient Nubia, Egypt’s southern neighbour.

Free entry, suitable for adults.

Climate change question time

Thursday 23 February, 6-8pm     

Your chance to pose questions to experts about climate change & sustainability in a Manchester & global context. With experts from the University of Manchester and other leading research centres and taking place in the Museum’s Living Worlds gallery. 

You can send your questions in advance to museum@manchester.ac.uk or bring them along on the night.

Free entry, suitable for adults.

Museum Meets: Urban Naturalist

Saturday 25 February, 2-4pm

Urban Naturalist is a programme of friendly, practical workshops for adults run by leading naturalists. From wild food-foraging and composting to bird song and insect identification, explore biodiversity on our doorstep.

Entry costs £3, suitable for adults.

Eight lions and an umbrella

Saturday 25 February, 12 & 3pm

Using the history of the umbrella as a starting point, this Museum urban safari is an exploration of Manchester's heritage as a Northern Leontopolis (City of Lions) and an introduction to Survival French.

Free entry, suitable for adults.

The Confucius Institute talks on China

Wednesday 29 February, 1-2pm

China is the most populous country in the world with a vast and diverse cultural landscape and a history that contains the roots of modern civilisation. This series of talks features speakers with specialist knowledge of China who cover diverse topics from literature to politics, art, recreation and economics with the aim of demystifying contemporary China for a broad audience.

Free entry, suitable for adults.

Tours of the Vivarium

Every Tuesday & Thursday, 12-1pm

Zoology students from The University of Manchester will share their knowledge of the animals and highlight the conservation and education work that the Museum and University does. Monthly tours in Spanish and French.

Free entry, suitable for over 13s.