I have not felt like this since I went to see Turin Brakes at the Colchester Arts Centre a few months ago. Yesterday we had a day out that was so wonderful I can't stop thinking about how good it was! We visited, the frankly astonishing, Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket. 40 minutes in the car from Colchester, but easily accessible by train, it was a very special day out indeed.
Obviously I had not heard about this place from anything publicised in Colchester (boo), despite it being relatively close by, I read about it on Facebook and knew it would be right up my strasse. The Museum is set within 75 acres of Suffolk countryside yet within strolling distance of Stowmarket Town Centre.
The Museum celebrates history and proudly exhibits the acquired artefacts and building's it has built up its collection. The amount of stuff they have is pretty incredible and everything is so well displayed and there is so much information we actually didn't get a chance to see everything despite getting there when it opened and leaving when it closed.
This weekend was particularly special however, as the Museum held an Event, the first time ever I think, called the 'East Anglian Living Fayre' which celebrated 2000 years of history.There were people dressed up depicting Romans, Tudors, Georgians, the Land Army and everything in between. There were 'battles', Falconry displays, Letterpress printing, Punch and Judy and the most wonderful 'Palace of Curiosities'. It was fabulous. There were lots of toilets (a massive bonus in my eyes), a great little gift shop jam packed with leaflets of local attractions, and a cafe on site selling home cooked food at very decent prices.
We booked our tickets online which saved £2 off the ticket price and at £10 per adult (£5 for children from 4 years old) its was exceptional value. There was something to look at around every corner. Sadly, we never made it to the WW1 trenches or the Victorian School House complete with extremely strict Teacher but hopefully they will do this event again.
Needless to say I took load of pictures and have tried to edit them down a bit for you here, but all I can say is try and go if you can.They have all sorts of events on throughout the year so keep an eye on their website and prepare to be amazed.
Obviously I had not heard about this place from anything publicised in Colchester (boo), despite it being relatively close by, I read about it on Facebook and knew it would be right up my strasse. The Museum is set within 75 acres of Suffolk countryside yet within strolling distance of Stowmarket Town Centre.
Stowmarket
This weekend was particularly special however, as the Museum held an Event, the first time ever I think, called the 'East Anglian Living Fayre' which celebrated 2000 years of history.There were people dressed up depicting Romans, Tudors, Georgians, the Land Army and everything in between. There were 'battles', Falconry displays, Letterpress printing, Punch and Judy and the most wonderful 'Palace of Curiosities'. It was fabulous. There were lots of toilets (a massive bonus in my eyes), a great little gift shop jam packed with leaflets of local attractions, and a cafe on site selling home cooked food at very decent prices.
We booked our tickets online which saved £2 off the ticket price and at £10 per adult (£5 for children from 4 years old) its was exceptional value. There was something to look at around every corner. Sadly, we never made it to the WW1 trenches or the Victorian School House complete with extremely strict Teacher but hopefully they will do this event again.
Needless to say I took load of pictures and have tried to edit them down a bit for you here, but all I can say is try and go if you can.They have all sorts of events on throughout the year so keep an eye on their website and prepare to be amazed.
Son dressed up standing infant of the Procession.
Archery, Catapult and Crossbow practice for the children.
Viking Camp.
Birds of Prey.
Battle reanactment.
I particularly loved seeing people from different time periods hanging out together.
It was magical.
Farm Labourers.
Funeral Cart.
Working Printshop which they use to print all the Museum posters on. Brilliant.
Working Steam Trains.
Traveller Caravans.
Wartime Kitchen.
Suffragette tent.
Soldiers.
Tudor (?) music.
Priest.
Son trying on replica helmet and sword for size.
The Storyteller in the woods.
Punch and Judy in the Farm.
Another reenactment.
The Brilliant 'Palace of Curiosities'.
Getting nicked.
Mermaid Exhibit.
London Bomb Disposal Unit.
Unexploded Bombs!
Elizabeth I
No comments:
Post a Comment