This May the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts and Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery are once again joining forces to bring an exciting night of activities and entertainment to Norwich as part of the Europe-wide Museums at Night celebration. This year’s event, on Wednesday 19 May, runs from 5pm until 11pm and marks the beginning of an association with Norfolk & Norwich Festival. It also forms part of A History of the World, the BBC’s flagship partnership with the British Museum and museums around the country. Admission is free and people are welcome to call in at any time during the evening (booking not required).

It is the third year that Norwich’s two leading museums have collaborated to stage a Museums at Night event for the city. The event will be packed with live music, storytelling, tours and creative fun for adults and children, all in an exciting late night atmosphere.

“We’re really delighted to be bringing Norwich Castle and the Sainsbury Centre together again for another Museums at Night evening. Last year’s event created a big buzz and this year’s is set to be even more spectacular with the Norfolk & Norwich Festival and BBC coming on board too. It’s great that so many partners are joining forces to deliver a fantastic event for the city” – Esther Morgan, East of England Renaissance Hub.

The theme of the event is ‘treasure’, in celebration of the world-class collections held at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts and at Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery. The theme links to the museums’ participation in the project, A History of the World, during 2010. In Norfolk, 10 objects were selected to represent its place in the world (5 of these are held at Norwich Castle and 1 at the Sainsbury Centre). The BBC will be running a video diary room and stand at the event on the 19 May and want people to bring their own objects along.

“Part of the History of the World project is about creating a whole new set of objects, not from museums, but from the general public. We want people in Norfolk to share with us objects that are special to them and that tell a story. At the Museums at Night event we will be helping people upload their objects on to the BBC’s History of the World website and they can also record a short video diary piece about their object if they want to. So, if you’re coming to the event, bring an object along!” – Martyn Weston, BBC Norfolk.

On the night people will have a special opportunity to get their hands on museum objects. They will be able to experience handling a collection of flints from Norwich Castle, which includes hand axes from Africa dating back 1.5 million years. Visitors will also be able to handle objects from countries such as Papua New Guinea from the Sainsbury Centre’s world art handling collection. This collection is currently an essential part of the Centre’s 3-year Heritage Lottery Funded community outreach project, Culture of the Countryside. Other object discoveries can be made on the Relics Trail through the museum, which is packed with challenges. The trail links to the CBBC series Relic: Guardians at the Museum, an episode of which will be screened during the evening.

Artist-led games will also offer the chance to explore the Sainsbury Centre and see the museum in a new light despite the darkness! Visitors will find the unexpected in the far reaches of the Centre with interventions created by the Norfolk & Norwich Festival, which will reveal the museum as it has never been seen before. The fun will include a chance to venture into the Centre’s Reserve Collection with only torch light to find the objects on display.

“It is fantastic the Norfolk & Norwich Festival is featuring Museums at Night. It is fitting that an European initiative that encourages access to culture for all is now associated with the international arts festival for our region” – Jonathan Holloway, Norfolk & Norwich Festival.

Creative activities including a torc-making workshop will keep little fingers busy, while adults will enjoy a fascinating talk from archaeological finds expert Adrian Marsden and opportunities to talk to Sainsbury Centre resident artist, Eliza Bracher. There will also be an eclectic mix of performance including story-telling, the Hot Boppin’ Girls, Girl in a Thunderbolt, Futter, magician Bob Percy, live music from the Neutrinos and Dim Goddess. Chen Hong will be giving calligraphy demonstrations during the evening inspired by the collections at NorwichCastle and at the Sainsbury Centre. Regarded as a ‘cultural treasure’ in his homeland, Mr Hong is an expert and eloquent painter of traditional Chinese motifs (in residence at Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery during May). A packed programme with something for everyone – and it’s completely free!

The Norfolk & Norwich Festival will also be bringing further excitement and intrigue to the Sainsbury Centre on Wednesday 19 May in the shape of a 15-foot inflatable art installation. Kurt Perschke’s RedBall: Norwich is making its UK debut as part of the Festival and will be squished into 14 different nooks and crannies across Norwich city centre.

The event at the Sainsbury Centre is the largest of eight exciting and diverse Museums at Night events taking place in the city this year, making it the biggest Museums at Night programme Norwich has ever seen! Other venues hosting events organised by Norwich HEART comprise: the Assembly House; the Cathedral of St John the Baptist; Colman’s Mustard Shop & Museum; Dragon Hall; The Forum; The Guildhall and Norwich Cathedral.