A Night of History and Discovery Promised for Culture Night 2013 at Trinity
Posted on: 19 September 2013
Trinity College will once again open its doors to the public for Culture Night 2013. Offering an incredible fusion of cultural events around the country, Culture Night will kick off at 5pm on Friday 20 September. Taking part this year will be Trinity College’s Old Library and Book of Kells Exhibition, the Zoological Museum, the Geological Museum, the Douglas Hyde Gallery, the Science Gallery and the Lir National Academy of Dramatic Art.
The Old Library and the Book of Kells exhibition will be open free of charge from 5pm to 10pm. Visitors can view the Book of Kells exhibition along with the current Long Room exhibition: ‘Preservation & Conservation: What’s that?’. From 6pm to 8pm Dolsé – a trio of lady harpists – will play in the Long Room with Aideen McBride a member of Storytellers of Ireland telling tales around the harp. No booking is required but numbers will be strictly limited in to the Old Library building.
Getting your picture taken through the jaws of a shark and feeling the might of a crocodile’s teeth are just some of the thrills on offer at Trinity College’s Zoological Museum. As part of the Family Culture Trail, discover ‘The Great Auk’ through an interactive tour schedule every 30min from 6pm. Booking is required. Last admissions at 8.30pm.
In the Geological Museum, the exhibition ‘The Story of the Earth’ highlights our planet’s geological heritage: wonderful minerals and rocks, and fascinating fossils including the Giant Irish Deer. Exhibits are contained in the museum gallery as well as in the hallway of the magnificent Victorian Museum Building where decorative Irish and exotic stones is used. The museum is open from 5pm to 10pm.
At Trinity’s Music Compositions Centre, Irish composer Raymond Deane will perform ’40 Years in 20 Minutes’ in the Boydell Room, House 5, Trinity College at 6pm. Booking is required.
Just a short distance away is the Douglas Hyde Gallery. In Gallery 1, New Zealand artist Francis Upritchard will be showing new sculptures of shamanic figures and unusual ceramics, textiles and other objects influenced by crafts and tribal imagery from around the world. At the same time, a selection of ’ema’, traditional Japanese painted wooden spiritual offerings will be on display in Gallery 2. The gallery is open to the public from 5pm to 9pm.
A short stroll through the College towards the east end of campus will lead visitors to the Science Gallery. The Science Gallery’s latest exhibition, ‘Illusion’ explores the science of magic and deception, curated by Richard Wiseman. The Science Gallery will be open to the public until 11pm.
Further along down to Pearse Street, Ireland’s new National Academy of Dramatic Art at Trinity College is offering visitors the chance to connect with their creativity in a series of free acting workshops led by The Lir’s core acting teachers. This workshop will give participants a taste of what it’s like to study “An Introduction to Acting” at The Lir. Booking is required for the Lir and there is a minimum age limit of 16.
Culture Night is an initiative of the Temple Bar Cultural Trust. This year 34 regions in Ireland will take part in the renowned late night of free culture which offers the public the opportunity to visit iconic cultural venues, buildings and spaces free of charge.