Museums shake off their musty, dusty image
Beware the darkened corridors of two Aberdeen museums this weekend, because a life-size dinosaur and Egyptian mummy are poised to pounce. Caroline Brodie finds out what happens after-hours in two of the city’s most intriguing buildings
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ONE of history’s fiercest predators will patrol Aberdeen University’s Zoology Museum this weekend as the facility hosts its inaugural Night at the Museum event.
Taking inspiration from the Hollywood movie of the same name, Aberdeen’s Zoology and Marischal Museums will throw their doors open to the public for an evening of spooky tours and activities.
In the movie, Ben Stiller gets more than he bargained for as a graveyard-shift security guard at the Museum of Natural History, when the artefacts come to life and he is faced with epic battles involving Mayans, Roman gladiators, cowboys and a Tyrannosaurus rex.
On Saturday, Mickael Fourrier, of Aberdeen Street Entertainers, will unleash his amazing life-size dinosaur on unsuspecting visitors.
Mickael, who has been hard at work on the Deinonychus skeleton since February, said he was really looking forward to taking the Zoology building by storm.
A veteran puppet-maker, Mickael – who hails from France, but has been living in Aberdeen for the past four years, and is regularly to be found entertaining the crowds at street events in the city – said it had been an ambitious project, even for him.
The metal frame, into which he fits, is encased by the dinosaur skeleton which he has made from masking tape and resin.
“It should be big enough to give people a scare,” he said.
“I’m very pleased with the result. I think it should work very well.”
Event organiser Sarah Redmond, a senior documentation assistant at the university, was also delighted with his efforts.
She said: “It just blew me away. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting.”
Speaking about the event, she said: “I’m getting the impression it’s going to be quite popular. We’ve had a lot of interest already.
“Anyone can come along, but a lot of the events and activities are family-orientated.
“There will be something for everyone on the night.”
Torchlight treasure hunts will also take place among the skeletons of sabre-toothed tigers, whale bones and other fascinating artefacts and there will be stargazing with the Aberdeen Astronomical Society and guided tours of the Cruickshank Botanical Gardens. The ghost of acclaimed Professor John Struthers will also be in residence and children will be invited to make their own glow-stick lanterns and take a peek at night-time creepy-crawlies in the Natural History Centre.
Activities get under way at 7pm, with a showing of Night at the Museum at 7.30pm.
An array of spooky events will also take place at Marischal Museum, where an Egyptian mummy will rule the roost.
Visitors will be invited to explore the displays about Ancient Egypt by torchlight and there will be guided tours of the museum stores and conservation lab. Booking is required for both these events.
Traditional Scottish harp music will also feature, as will art work by students from Aberdeen College.
Both events have been organised as part of a Europe-wide initiative to promote museums, and Aberdeen University is the only Scottish organisation taking part in the project which will see some 1,000 museums invite members of the public to discover what really goes on after hours in these captivating buildings.
Dr Andy Schofield, academic co-ordinator promoting science, said the university was delighted to be able to throw open the doors of these two fascinating venues and invite members of the public to enjoy an evening of ghostly goings on and spooky surprises.
He added: “This exciting Europe-wide initiative gives the public a chance to enjoy a sneaky peak into what goes on after hours in these two extremely interesting buildings.”
All 55 entries to a photography competition entitled Deen in the Dark, will also be on display. Entrants were invited to capture images of Aberdeen after dark, from night cityscapes to nocturnal creatures. The winner will be announced on the night.
Saturday, from 7pm-midnight at the Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, and from 7-10pm at Marischal Museum, Broad Street. Admission is free, but booking is required for some of the guided-tour events at Marischal Museum by calling 01224 274301 or e-mailing museums@abdn.ac.uk
Visit: www.abdn.ac.uk/ nightatthemuseum
