Inspire’s FREE popular history event Hands on Heritage returns to Mansfield Central Library!

Hands On Heritage Day returns to Mansfield Library this May, bringing a variety of fun and free activities from heritage groups and organisations from across the county. This will be the 11th year that Mansfield has hosted this event and Inspire will be celebrating with a fun-filled day of activities and attractions for all the family.

Visitors can explore local and family history stalls, browse local history books for sale, explore pop-up museums, and view old Nottinghamshire photographs, maps and more.

Get hands-on with fun crafts and activities for all the family including a virtual reality coal mine, traditional circus skills, toys from the past, and amazing archaeology! Plus, drop-in creative fun especially for the Under-5s.

Organisations taking part include the University of Nottingham Museum and Manuscripts and Special Collections, Old Mansfield Society, DH Lawrence Museum, The Joker Entertainment, Little Creatives Artist Workshops (for under 5’s), Nottinghamshire Mining Museum, as well as Inspire Nottinghamshire Archives and many more.

You’ll be able to drop into the auditorium to see a film of the Hip Hop dance theatre piece ‘Mother of Tension’. The Mother of Tension is part of the IWM 14-18 NOW Legacy Fund, a national partnership programme of 20 artist commissions inspired by the heritage of conflict. Led by Imperial War Museums, the IWM 14-18 NOW Legacy Fund was created following the success of 14-18 NOW, the official UK arts programme for the First World War centenary.

We’ll also have live music throughout the day from the Red Hot Band and the Inspire Choir, and Mrs Bs café on the mezzanine floor of the library will be open all day for visitors to purchase refreshments.

Peter Gaw, Chief Executive Officer at Inspire said: “I am delighted that we’re able to once again offer hands-on activities to make local history fun and accessible for all the family. This annual event is always a highlight on the Inspire heritage calendar and is a perfect opportunity to showcase our fantastic heritage and archives services that our libraries and Nottinghamshire Archives can provide for anyone who wants to discover more. We look forward to seeing there”.

Further information can be found at Hands On Heritage Day | Inspire - Culture, Learning, Libraries (inspireculture.org.uk).