National Museum throwing 25th anniversary party
A Navistar sextant (donated by Debra Robison) on display at the 25th anniversary exhibit
(CNS): The Cayman Islands National Museum is hosting a street party and opening a special, new exhibit Saturday, 28 November in honour of the organisation’s 25 years of preserving and celebrating Cayman’s natural and cultural heritage.
The block party, known as “Looky Ya!”, will take place on Harbour Drive and Goring Avenue from 2pm-9pm and include music, crafts, storytelling, museum tours, singing and dancing. Admission to both the museum and the party is free.
The event will also feature a Christmas shopping bazaar with local crafters and artists, as well as food vendors selling dishes from around the world which represent some of the cultures that make up the Cayman community.
Free self-guided tours will be offered which will highlight the museum’s newest exhibit, “Twenty-Five Years: Piece by Piece”, the centrepiece of the yearlong 25th anniversary celebration. The exhibit provides an overview of the museum’s history and achievements since opening in November 1990, and features 25 objects that showcase the richness, diversity and complexity of the Cayman Islands’ heritage, history and culture.
Wompers (donated by Trevor Watler) at the exhibit
Among the items on display will be a crocodile, olive jar, onion bottle, Wreck of the Ten Sail cannon encrustation, pistol, blue willow plate, militia button, church spire, baby rocking cradle, wompers, sextant, the first telephone switchboard and a World War II jacket.
In addition, the Children’s Gallery exhibit “Museum Dress Up” will give young visitors a chance to try on costumes and act out skits based on traditional Caymanian life illustrated in the museum’s natural and cultural history collections. Children will be able to learn about Cayman’s national animals and answer interactive questions while dressing up in various themed costumes.
“We are so excited about achieving this major milestone in Cayman’s history,” said museum director Peggy Leshikar-Denton. “Twenty-five years of culture and history at the museum is indeed a reason for every resident to celebrate, and we plan to do just that with our Looky Ya! block party and these amazing exhibits that highlight who we are and where we’ve come from as a people and a country.
“We invite young and old alike to come out, experience the National Museum and learn about the beautiful traditions and the rich legacy that we have the privilege of preserving for generations to come.”
Leshikar-Denton added that there is still space for vendors who may want to sell food as well as artisans who may be interested in displaying and selling their crafts.
“Christmas is just around the corner and this is a perfect time to buy handmade, Caymanian pieces of art or jewellery or crafts as thoughtful gifts,” she said. “We hope the public will take advantage of this great opportunity to do some holiday shopping and be entertained at the same time.”
For more information about the National Museum’s 25th anniversary block party, email Kelly Holding Ltd or call 623-8822.
Category: Arts & Crafts, Culture
