THIS Halloween a spooktacular feast of seasonal entertainment is on offer for all visitors to Down County Museum with a packed week long programme of themed events taking place from 28 until 31 October.
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Brain surgery at the Down County Museum: magician Jonny Kielty extracts blood from a subject’s  ear after ‘keyhole’ surgery accompanied by two able assistants. (2010).[/caption]
On Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 October, Nightmare on English Street: The Horrible History of Halloween takes place. These special events have been organised to explore the gruesome side of Halloween traditions ancient and modern. During the course of the events, which takes place in the Museum and on English Street, visitors can follow a journey through time encountering a range of gory happenings, meeting a host of ghoulish characters and witnessing horrifying scenes from history. A feast of scary fun is guaranteed.
The event begins at 7.15pm each night and take in the old gaol site and other sites on English Street. It is suitable for adults and children aged over 7 years. Pre-booking is essential and admission is £6 for adults and £4 for under 16’s.
The highlight of the Museum’s programme will, of course, be the Monster Halloween Party on Thursday 31 October.
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Spooky characters at the Downpatrick gaol…. Ellie Ball and Amy Kearney from Downpatrick having a great time at Down County Museum. [/caption]
This year the event takes place from 6.30-9pm and features a host of entertainment for all the family. Ireland’s favourite storyteller Liz Weir will be in attendance bringing Halloween stories from around the world to life.
Hilarious circus style entertainment, magic shows and other fun activities will be provided by some of Northern Ireland’s most skilful family entertainers. The annual fancy dress competition is always popular with local families and this year there will be categories for under 8s and over 8s with great prizes on offer. Admission is £2 per adult and £1 per child, a family ticket is £5.
Down County Museum is open daily throughout the half term holiday and visitors can explore fascinating exhibitions inside the walls of the old Gaol of Down. The Museum’s permanent exhibition Down Through Time tells the story of the rich, varied history of the County and showcases over 1000 historic objects from earliest times to today. There are also three special exhibitions for visitors to enjoy, All Together Now: Going to School in County Down; Two Men of Mourne: Photographs by Pat Hudson and Cecil Newman; and Digging Our Faith: Exploring our Religious and Cultural Heritage.
In addition, the restored cells of the old Gaol provide a very atmospheric visitor experience with information on crime and punishment in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries also provided.
Admission to the Museum is free and the shop and tearoom are open daily.
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