11 May 2011
Eastbourne’s Redoubt Fortress is joining hundreds of museums, galleries, libraries and heritage sites around the country for Museums at Night 2011 and hosting a special After Dark evening this Saturday.
The Napoleonic landmark on Eastbourne seafront is inviting visitors to enjoy an evening of star gazing, torchlight tours and contemporary short film screenings between 6 – 10pm on Saturday in a free event as part of the Museums at Night celebrations.
Visitors will be able to marvel at the wonders of the night sky with star gazing from the fortress gun platform hosted by Eastbourne Astronomical Society and navigate through the rooms of the historic venue in torch led tours. There will also be the opportunity to choose from eight contemporary short films that will be shown, which have been produced by film makers from across the globe.
Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Member for Tourism and Leisure Cllr Neil Stanley said “We are very excited that the Redoubt Fortress is taking part in this year’s Museums at Night with a series of exciting activities taking place on Saturday evening and making full use of our historic landmark. The gun platform makes a great vantage point for telescope viewing and the torchlight tours offer a rare opportunity to discover the tunnels and rooms within the fortress. With a great selection of international film screenings also taking place, I’d encourage as many people as possible to take advantage of this fabulous free event and discover a piece of Eastbourne’s history.”
Torchlight tours will run at 6.30pm, 7.30pm and 8.30pm on Saturday night with screenings of contemporary short films at 6.30pm and 8.30pm.
With this year’s Eastbourne Festival also coming to a close this weekend on Sunday 15 May, Museums at Night coincides with the finale of the town’s celebrations of culture, arts, heritage and entertainment.
This weekend visitors to the Redoubt will also be able to browse its 2011 major exhibition Stitch For Victory showcasing artefacts and memories that have been brought together for the first time exploring the contribution that needlework made to life during the Second World War. Visitors can discover how stitching was used to steady nerves in the air raid shelters and how prisoners of war documented their experiences with secret needles and thread.
There will also be chance to take a look at War Stories, a mini exhibition of works by textile artist Jade Marczynski displaying intricate pieces that have been created based on memories from those who lived and fought during this time.
For more information on what’s on at the Redoubt go to the Eastbourne Museums website or call 01323 410300.
