What’s On Exhibitions, talks, events & activities Norwich Castle January – June 2018 Including Norwich Castle: The Square Box on the Hill Plus events at Museum of Norwich & Strangers’ Hall www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk Visual Arts Visual Arts Standing atop the largest man-made mound in the country, Norwich Castle has dominated the City’s skyline since the 12th century; but what is the story of this iconic and much-loved square box on the hill? Built as a royal palace, Norwich Castle was a Norman showpiece with lavishly-decorated interiors ft for a king. By the 14th century, it had become the County Gaol confning Norfolk’s prisoners within its walls. With the opening of the new prison at the end of the 19th century, the Castle’s fate was uncertain, until its conversion into a public museum, which it remains to this day. This exhibition illustrates Norwich Castle’s rich history through a stunning mixture of prints, models, paintings, architectural plans, memorabilia and archives, many of which have never been on display before. It also showcases the latest exciting plans for the Castle’s future as part of the Norwich Castle: Gateway to Medieval England project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The City’s most prominent landmark has housed and infuenced a number of surprises in its 900-year history, from a Japanese Samurai suit of armour to a 1970s draught bitter; from fne medieval jewellery to graffti etched in stone. See all of these and more in this unique tribute to Norwich’s square box on the hill. James Bridges, Norwich Castle, 1833, watercolour on paper © Norfolk Museums Service (Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery) 2 3 Inheritance: Norwich Castle Open Art Show The Square Box on the Hill - Tuesday Talks 3 March – 20 May Town Close Auditorium, 12.30 – 1pm, booking not required. In 2017, a call for entries went out to artists living in East Anglia, attracting a 27 February record-breaking number of submissions. From Royal Palace to Royal Palace (and everything in Visual Arts & Adults The exhibition was selected by a panel of Visual Arts & Adults between): The story behind The Square Box on the Hill invited judges: Penelope Hughes-Stanton Paris Agar, Exhibition Curator. – Director of North House Gallery, 20 March Manningtree; Sandy Heslop – Professor Serving Time in the Castle: Prisoners and their Gaolers of Visual Arts, University of East Anglia; Dr Nick Arber, Norwich Castle Prison Historian. Lloyd De Beer - The Ferguson Curator of Medieval Europe, The British Museum. 3 April Behind These Ancient Walls: Finds from Norwich Castle The result is a captivating range of Dr Tim Pestell, Senior Curator of Archaeology. work, including painting, sculpture, 17 April sound, textiles, flm, printmaking and Norwich Castle Fee: Its Archaeology and History photography. Works range from land Dr Elizabeth Popescu, Post-Excavation & Publications Manager, Oxford and seascapes to abstract interpretations Blue Crab Boat Andrew Dibben Archaeology East. of the past. Loving portraits sit alongside © depictions of ancient pathways, churches and military installations. All works for sale. 15 May Leave No Stone Unturned: The Signifcance of the Norwich Inheritance is organised in collaboration with the East Anglia Art Fund. In Castle Archive in developing the Norwich Castle: Gateway addition, both exhibition sponsors are awarding prizes, with Brown&Co giving a to Medieval England Project £1000 prize for excellence, and Gallery in the Lanes providing a £500 prize to an Hugh Feilden, Partner, Feilden+Mawson Architects and Alan Conisbee, emerging talent. Structural Conservation Engineer, Conisbee Consulting Engineers. 22 May Restore, Conserve or Let it Fall? The Battle for the Keep 1833-1839 Dr Clare Haynes, Norwich Castle Researcher. Inheritance - Tuesday Talk 10 April, 12.30 – 1pm, booking not required. Inheritance: From Architecture to Landscape, Exhibition Tours Tuesdays 13 & 20 February, 2pm Personal Traits to Treasured Objects With Exhibition Curator Paris Agar. Hear how the exhibited artists interpreted the theme. 4 5 Visible Women Wonderful Weekend Events Opening Saturday 14 April Saturday 10am - 3.30pm & Sunday 1 - 3.30pm All Ages A showcase of work by women artists such as Visual Arts Gwen John, Barbara Hepworth, Jo Spence and Winter Wildlife Weekend Penny Slinger. Plus the launch of new work by Saturday 20 & Sunday 21 January a contemporary artist supported by the Valeria Discover what the wildlife in your garden Napoleone XX Contemporary Art Scheme. gets up to in winter, explore the Natural History collection with curator Dr David Gwen John, Girl in a Blue Dress holding a Piece of Sewing, 1914-15 Waterhouse and meet local wildlife groups © Norfolk Museums Service and organisations. We Came Here to Conquer: Textile Takeover: Eleven Artists Respond to the Dress to Protest! Print Collection at Norwich Castle Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 March Showing until 25 March Explore costume, accessories and textiles New works, by artists involved in print making, created or worn with protest in mind - displayed alongside pieces from the collections including embroidered letters by Lorina Bulwer dating from the 16th century to the present. Adam Bridgland, Oh Lucy, Come See and the Duvet of Love made with hundreds of This World With Me, 2017, found badges. Talks, tours, hands-on demonstrations We Came Here to Conquer photograph with enamel paint and transfer © the artist and a chance to make your own protest piece. Magritte: The Lost Painting Showing until 1 July Bank Holiday – Medieval Mystery Tours Discover the secret that René Magritte’s painting La Monday 7 May, 10.30am - 3.30pm Condition Humaine concealed beneath its surface A day of tours and trails including hidden highlights of the Keep, for 85 years. star objects and unusual items from the collections. From Norfolk to Nubia: The Watercolours of FREE ET Daniell Museums at Night Extended until 11 February Saturday 19 May, 5 - 9.30pm Watercolours painted by priest, artist Meet the Black Knight and his friends, enrol in the and antiquarian, E T Daniell. Sword School or explore secrets of the Castle in our candlelight trail. With music, tours, activities and crafts. ET Daniell, Figures at Corfu, Greece, 1840 (detail) © Norfolk Museums Service 6 7 Saturday Event Days All Ages Archaeology Day: All Ages Show Me The Money! Saturday 3 February, 10.30am - 3.30pm Cash in on our fascinating day about money! When did it start? Where does it come from? What is it made from? Activities, talks, trails, make your own money and try metal- detecting too! Rabbit’s Friends & Relations Saturday 3 March, 10.30am - 3.30pm Join Natural History Curator Dr David Waterhouse to fnd out about the evolution King of the Castle of the rabbit family and how this British Saturday 24 March, 10.30am - 3.30pm countryside familiar is actually a Spanish settler. Take part in our giant Lego castle-building competition, learn how to bow and Plus Mad March Hares, costume and textiles, a curtsy, make swords and shields to take home, and join the quest to earn your bunny trail and storytelling too! own crown! Science Day: Transformers WOW – Women of the World Saturday 17 March, 10.30am - Festival 3.30pm Saturday 28 April, 10.30am - 3.30pm The science of transformation: To coincide with the WOW Festival in Norwich How does the chrysalis change (26-29 April 2018), a day celebrating the lives of into a butterfy and what remarkable women and girls, seen through our happens to the human body as extraordinary art and costume collections. we age? Plus, hands-on alchemy, date the Book Day Castle with Saturday 9 June, 10.30am - 3.30pm deduction, Join Norfolk Library Service for a pop-up library, talks, quizzes stories, crafts and activities, plus a free book for and more… under-fves! 8 9 Activities run Monday – Saturday, 10.30am – 3.30pm. Programme changes daily. School Holidays School Holidays February Half-term Kings, Queens & Dirty Rascals Saturday 10 - Saturday 17 February See our Right Royal Drama, learn to defend the realm with TV Fight Director Keith Wallis, make a Kings and Queens of England Timeline, plus Scallywags’ School, Cheeky Crafts, Posh Talks, Royal Tours, and Castle Capers galore. Easter Holidays Castle CSI Thursday 29 March - Friday 13 April Become a Castle Crime Scene May Half-term Investigator and explore crime and punishment from medieval Knight Fever Saturday 26 May - to modern times. follow our Saturday 2 June Crime Trail, feel the death Be chivalrous and act like mask bumps, sit in judgement a Knight in our Drama with Judge Childers, detour Workshops, join in our along the Prisoners’ Secret Quiz Knight and see Tunnel, and visit the Dungeons a recreation of Heath (additional charge applies). Ledger’s Dance Scene Stop Press - join us at from A Knight’s Tale! Plus Norwich Cathedral on 11 mighty Arms and Armour April for Easter family fun demonstrations, Crafts, with the Cathedral team. Talks and more. 10 11 Adults Workshops for Adults Study Days for Adults Adults Friendly and informal monthly classes suitable for beginners or improvers, Booking essential 01603 working with the Castle’s stunning collections for inspiration. 495897 / 493625. Booking essential 01603 495897 / 493625. Castle Art An Ancient Egyptian Wednesdays 31 January, 14 February, 25 Shroud Revealed Saturday 21 April, April & 23 May, 11am - 12.30pm & 10.30am - 3pm 1 - 2.30pm Discover the story of this rare Informal classes led by Garry Pereira, to 3,500-year-old Egyptian shroud encourage artists to experiment with - how it came to Norwich, media, techniques and styles. and who originally owned it - Adult £6.50, Conc £6, and see the shroud itself. Museums Pass £5.50. Adult £15, Conc £13, Castle Writers Museums Pass £10. Saturdays 6 January, 3 February, 3 March, 7 April, 5 May & 2 June, 1.30 - 4pm Medieval Dead Workshops for budding writers led Saturday 12 May, by Amanda Addison in a friendly and 10.30am - 3pm supportive environment.