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ACROSS THE MUSEUM
Experience the Museum at a quiet time and enjoy a special day of culture, dance and music in this Age Friendly Culture Monday aimed at people aged 50 and over.
Your Museum is not open to the public on Mondays, so this is a unique opportunity to explore the galleries at their most peaceful and to get closer to the collections we care for, guided by members of the Visitor Team and by our wonderful volunteers.
Our Culture Mondays are always incredibly popular and provide a variety of enjoyable activities for people to participate in, as well as the space and flexibility for those who prefer to visit the galleries at their own pace.
For this session, we are working in collaboration with the Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama and the institution for Indian Culture Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Manchester.
In the morning, the programmed activities at the Museum will be linked with South Asia Gallery and South Asian Culture and include:
Kathak dance drop-in workshop. From the word ‘Katha’, meaning story, this form of dance is more popular in the north of India. Recounting mythical and religious stories, these bards travelled across villages entertaining and education the masses. Usually accompanied by Tabla and Sitar, it has travelled both time and cultures and there have been many fusions of Kathak with Flamenco and Samba. No previous experience needed.
Tours of the South Asia Gallery. The South Asia Gallery, a British Museum partnership, presents a compelling, contemporary take on South Asian and British Asian culture. It is the first permanent gallery in the UK to celebrate the experiences and contribution of the South Asian diaspora, and it displays world-class material from the British Museum alongside the best of South Asian collections in Manchester. Delivered by the Museum Visitor Team.
Belonging Gallery, Chinese Culture Gallery, Archaeology Gallery and Egypt and Sudan Gallery will be open to visitors.
In the afternoon, we will head off to the Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama, just round the corner from the Museum, to enjoy a concert by the University of Manchester resident klezmer ensemble, performing a programme of modern and traditional arrangements of music originating in Eastern European Yiddish cultures.
The traditional instrumental music of the Jews of Eastern Europe, referred to as ‘klezmer,’ can be traced to the Middle Ages. It was introduced to the U.S. by immigrants in the late 1800s to early 1900s and is widely popular today. The primary instruments are clarinets, fiddles, various brass instruments and the tsimbl, a variant of the hammered dulcimer.
Full schedule
10.30 am Arrival and welcome.
10:40 am Activities start in the South Asia Gallery and Main Hall. Tours of the South Asia Gallery will take place 10.40-11 am and 11.40am-12pm. The drop-in Kathak dance workshop will take place 10.40am-12pm.
12pm Break, with tea and coffee provided (Main Hall and Picnic Area).
12.45pm Depart to the Martin Harris Centre.
1.10pm Klezmer concert starts.
2pm Finish.
Please note the Museum Cafe is closed of Mondays. We will provide tea and coffee, and you are more than welcome to bring your own packed lunch. The Museum Shop will be open until 12:45 pm.
This event can be booked via Eventbrite, by emailing maria.ramosacevedo@manchester.ac.uk or by calling 07818 578 474.