A day of free fun activities awaits at this year’s Fun Palaces taking place at the Higgins Bedford on Saturday, 5 October.
Fun Palaces is a free, nationwide campaign for culture at the heart of community and community at the heart of culture and this year the museums will transform into a hub of artistic exploration as families take part in hands-on workshops and exciting activities led by local artists and creators, all completely free of charge.
- Be the first to crack the case! Join “Murder at The Museum“, a brand-new murder mystery app by Cardboard Clues
- Harness the power of nature and learn how to create stunning cyanotype prints using sunlight
- Spread joy with vibrant blooms and craft beautiful crepe paper flowers, perfect for home décor or gifting
- Explore typography and storytelling in The Higgins Bedford galleries. With Edward Bawden’s artwork as inspiration, use colour, line and drawing to find and make stories
Will you solve the Murder at the Museum?
We went behind the scenes at the museum to ask Darrell Cannon, the inventor of the Cardboard Clues app and founder of board game cafe, Ready Steady Roll, to explain how he came up with Murder at the Museum and what readers can expect when they take part.
“The game is inspired by Micro Macro, a detective board game we loved playing at Ready Steady Roll,” explained Darrell.
“I liked the idea of creating something bigger where you could follow the characters around in real life, rather than on a table. I originally thought of an outdoor version, and then thought a museum – specifically The Higgins – would be a great location and Murder in the Museum was born.”
Darrell reunited with artist Katie Allen to design the 10 different characters which make up the three mysteries to be solved as part of Murder at the Museum.
The game launches on Fun Palaces weekend with free taster sessions on Saturday 5 October. The usual cost is £25 per group to solve three mysteries, which should take you approximately an hour to complete.
“It’s going to be running until 19 January and all ages can play, from families to groups of adults,” said Darrell.
“It’s site-specific and the clues relate to where you are in the Higgins, so it’s a great way to explore the museum at the same time. There’s no time limit, so you can take as long as you like and you can compete against other players to win points.”
As well as Cardboard Clues, Darrell has also created two board games since selling Ready Steady Roll. The first, Shoot to the Stars, is a fun trivia game for all the family and the latest, Clink, is a simple card game that will be launched shortly in the UK.
“I love helping people have fun,” said Darrell. “I’ve got a passion for making fun experiences accessible to all and for sharing my love of games. I just can’t wait for people to take part in Cardboard Clues at this year’s Fun Palaces and throughout the year.”
You can book Cardboard Clues at Bedford Fun Palaces here. v
For a full list of workshops and to learn more about booking your free spot, visit The Higgins Bedford website here.
Fun Palaces at the Higgins Bedford on Saturday, 5 October
CyanoTypes with Grete Dalum Tilds @ 11.15am and repeated at 1.45pm
Join artists Grete Dalum-Tilds to make beautiful nature powered Cyanotype Prints. Each workshops last an hour and a half. Places limited – booking essential. Only participating children need to book – supporting adults do not need to book.
Judge A Book by its Cover, inspired by Edward Bawden – Art Workshop with Fiona Wilson @ 11am – 1.30pm and 2pm – 4pm
Inspired by Edward Bawden’s book jackets currently on display in the gallery, this fun and engaging session focuses on illustration, typography and colour. Aiming to tell or suggest the story through visual prompts, we’ll work with line, drawing, text and vibrant colour combinations to design a high impact jacket for your favourite, or a famous, book.
Flower Making with Anne-Marie Abbate @ 11am – 4pm
Join Anne-Marie Abbate in this free drop-in activity making beautiful, colourful flowers. Be inspired by nature and create some joy.
The Higgins Bedford, Castle Lane, Bedford MK40 3XD thehigginsbedford.org.uk
