Tuesday 03 September 2019
It's always hip to be square at Guernsey Museum's The Big Geekend, which returns to Candie this Saturday and Sunday.
The annual two day event invites visitors to discover and celebrate offbeat interests, collections and pastimes. Most of the attractions will be inside the Museum but some participants will showcase their hobbies outside.
Fans of Japanese culture are well catered for, with themed crafts, activities and films taking place during both days. Visitors will have the chance to meet an origami artist, who will be positioned within the current exhibition To Japan And Back Again - How A Corner of Guernsey Turned Japanese. Elsewhere in the galleries, there will be a chance to learn about many different topics. These include war gaming, cosplay, backgammon and Manga. There will be a camera obscura for people to try out and visitors can also learn about moths, pollinators and Asian hornets. Children can take part in a Big Geekend bug hunt, hosted by the Guernsey Biological Records Centre. During the weekend, there are also model trains, line dancing and more. On display outside, there is the fascinating hobby of living history (hosted by the Guernsey Military History Company) and live action role play is showcased by the Guernsey group Tol Galen.
One of the quirkiest features this year is a trail of tiny animals, hidden in the museum showcases for people to find.
Jo Dowding, Access & Learning Manager, explains:
'A friend of the museum is a guinea pig enthusiast and also a talented model maker. He has designed 8 tiny guinea pigs and hidden them amongst the exhibits. People can pick up a quiz sheet when they arrive, with clues on, and take part. It will be a challenge because the guinea pigs are only a few millimetres in size; some have been there for a while already and nobody has noticed'.
For a full timetable of events and participants, please visit the museum website or Guernsey Museums' Facebook page.
The Big Geekend takes place on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th September at Guernsey Museum from 10.00-16.00.
Normal admission applies, so it's free with your Discovery Pass. (If you don't have a Discovery Pass, the prices are £6.50 for adults, £2 for students or children aged 7-17 and under 7s are free).
