This is a guest post from Lindsey Braidley, Learning and Programmes Co-ordinator for Heritage Services at Bath & North East Somerset Council. Lindsey describes how her team organised their Museums at Night event in collaboration with local college students.
Since 2008 we've worked with our local Museums Group to organise joint marketing, and as a group we have also planned a couple of afternoon events in a historic square or a new shopping centre to encourage visitors to stay on into the evening for our Museums at Night events.
In 2012 the Roman Baths decided to try something new. This year we are working with Foundation Degree Students from Bath Spa University to plan and run our Museums at Night event.
To start them off thinking we outlined what sort of events we had run in the past. Then we gave them some simple details we couldn't change about Museums at Night; the date, time and of course the small budget.
The students worked through several event ideas before coming up with something exciting and different. It is called Roman Sensations and offers a chance to explore the torch-lit Roman Baths, taste Roman wine, listen to music, watch live drama, smell perfumes and herbs introduced by the Romans and try on togas and tunics.
Events like Museums at Night give us the opportunity to collaborate on projects like this with other organisations such as the local university.
Bath Spa University students learn from real world experience about working together, project management, interpretation and engaging with the public.
As I write, the students are returning for the new term and the pressure is now really on to meet all of the deadlines to make this evening a big success.
This is challenging for experienced heritage practitioners and students alike. And the curtain has to go up at 8.15 on Saturday 19 May when the doors open...
This post was originally published on the Museums at Night behind-the-scenes blog. Find Museums at Night events in your area at www.museumsatnight.org.uk