Historic hats from work and play are on display in our brand new ‘Hold On To Your Hat!’ exhibition at Ely Museum.
Fun for the whole family at Ely Museum this summer, with the Hold On To Your Hat! Exhibition running from 16th July to 18th September 2022. Alongside a fantastic range of historic hats from work and play, there are fun hats to try on and pose with, fascinating hat facts to learn, and glimpses of past Ely residents in resplendent headgear to see.
The exhibition brings a bit of quirky entertainment to a visit to the museum and is great for all ages. Newly shortlisted in the Best Small Museum category for the national Family Friendly Museum Award run by the charity Kids in Museums, Ely Museum is an ideal place for a family day out in Ely.
Find out what a chef’s hat has to do with cooking eggs, how hats are made, and even what sort of hat you might have to wear if you were at school or working in Ely during the last century.
Sara Adderson, Assistant Curator at Ely Museum says; “This light-hearted and fun exhibition has a bit of something for everyone, including a sculptural contemporary silk hat by East Anglian milliner Susan Widlake of Mill House Millinery. Hats were an important part of anyone’s outfit, whether that was formal, informal or part of a uniform. Alongside being interesting pieces, they tell us a lot about the lives of the people who wore them. There’s also the chance to try on lots of different hats and strike a pose!”
Across the school summer holidays there will numerous activities for families at Ely Museum, including the popular craft events. On Thursday 18th August, children can make two hats and decorate them at the ‘Craft your own cap’ workshop. Pre-booking is required and can be done via the museum website.
August will also feature the opportunity for adults to have a go at hat making, with two artisan craft workshops for adults, taught by Susan Widlake of Mill House Millinery. Make your own felt fascinator or a sinamay sculpture to take home and wear.
The permanent galleries at Ely Museum tell the story of the lives of the people of Ely and the surrounding fens from prehistory to the modern day. Hands-on objects, dressing up, activities and trails make Ely Museum a fun visit for the whole family.
Look out for children’s crafts and a fantastic Victorian themed living history day this August too.
To find out more about visiting the museum, please visit www.elymuseum.org.uk
Press release from Ely Museum
Photo Credit: Ely Museum
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