[O]n Friday 18th May 2018, Gretna Green Famous Blacksmiths Shop Museum will take part in two of the UK’s biggest museum events – the nationwide Museums at Night programme and Scotland’s annual Festival of Museums programme of cultural events.
Museums at Night is the UK’s after-hours festival of arts, culture and heritage. Now in its tenth year, the festival will take place over 16 – 19 May. Plus, this year promises to be Scotland’s most fun-filled Festival of Museums to date running from 18 – 20 May. The Gretna Green Famous Blacksmiths Shop Museum is hosting a very special event to celebrate; ‘The Path to True Love – The Gretna Green Story’. The museum is a key part of the Gretna Green Ltd family and will be opening its doors on Friday 18 May from 6.30pm to 9.00pm to allow visitors to uncover the history, romance and intrigue of the UK’s most famous wedding venue.
For £5, visitors will enjoy a guided tour of the museum and learn about some of the famous people who snubbed convention by marrying within its walls. Visitors will also get the chance to examine letters, telegrams and even some marriage certificates of those from all walks of life who, over the years, defied relatives and friends to follow their hearts to Gretna Green. There are letters from lonely singletons looking for a partner and telegraphs from frantic parents desperate to stop a wayward daughter. The museum is also home to the world’s oldest Marriage Anvil and visitors will be delighted by a re-enactment of a traditional anvil wedding ceremony. All of this will be followed by a traditional Blacksmiths supper served in the attraction’s courtyard conservatory.
Nick Stockman, Campaigns Manager for Museums at Night, said: “2018 marks the tenth edition of the Museums at Night festival. To mark a decade of ‘Lates’ we’ve recently published the first ever research reports into after-hours museum events. We believe the next ten years will see Lates become even more popular with the museum-visiting public, and that Museums at Night will continue to be at the leading age of innovation and growth.”
Sarah Burry-Hayes, Marketing Manager at Museums Galleries Scotland, said: “The Festival of Museums programme is bursting with fun events to spark the imagination and celebrate culture in Scotland. Visitors to fantastic venues such as The Gretna Green Famous Blacksmiths Shop Museum will experience museums in interactive, unexpected and hands-on ways.”
The Path to True Love – The Gretna Green Story, is just one of many exciting events taking place as part of these two annual museum programmes that promise to celebrate culture and heritage in a unique and inspiring way.
