Family activities on offer at Kettle’s Yard for Castle Hill Open Day

Following last year’s successful event, even more historic and cultural venues in the Castle Hill area of Cambridge will be joining forces to showcase the oldest part of the city, and its wealth of cultural offerings.

Kettle’s Yard houses a unique collection of 20th century and contemporary art, and there will be an opportunity to meet the archivist and view highlights from behind the scenes including correspondence to and from Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and TE Lawrence. Visitors will have the chance to find out more about the striking façade by Matthew Darbyshire spread across the front of the gallery, the new film by Portuguese artist Pedro Barateiro, and Vicken Parson’s Painted Objects in nearby St Peter’s Church.

There will also be an “in conversation” session with the retired astronomer Dr Roderick Willstrop and Sophy Rickett about her residency at the University’s Institute of Astronomy, and how this informed her photography exhibition, Objects in the Field, which is currently showing in the gallery.

Meanwhile the Kettle’s Yard House Fete, hosted by artists from the local group Irregular Circle, will give people the chance to have their face painted in the style of a work by Joan Miro, and to design their own Brancusi dog and enter it into the Castle Hill Dog Show. Refreshments will also be served.

Other activities on offer at the Castle Hill Open Day will include tours with the former road sweeper and local historian Allan Brigham, Victorian games at the Museum of Cambridge, a treasure hunt at St Giles’ Church and a presentation on Roman Cambridge from the Cambridge Archaeological Unit. New for 2013 will be highlights from the County Council archives located in a former nuclear bunker, a fête at St Giles’ Church, the opportunity to visit the Sukkah at the Chabad of Cambridge and family storytelling.

All activities will be free, running from 11am to 5pm.

For more information, please visit: http://www.kettlesyard.co.uk/openday/