After the fantastic success of the free blues festival here at the Museum of East Anglian Life during Stowmarket festival 2011, we’re happy to announce that StowBlues will be making another appearance on the 2nd June 2pm-10pm. Organiser of StowBlues Mike Rushmore, himself lead singer and percussionist of Back Porch, has pulled together another fantastic lineup. Click on the bandnames to find out more about the great acts that will be performing this year.

2.00pm Jamie Williams & the Roots Collective
3.00pm Second Hand Blues
4.00pm Electra
5.00pm Absolution
6.15pm Back Porch
7.30pm Blues Situation
8.45pm Saiichi Sugiyama Band

We’ll have a well stocked real ale bar on the day, and onsite cafe The Osier will be providing food and other refreshments throughout the day. For any enquiries contact us on 01449 612229 or at enquiries@eastanglianlife.org.uk

Check out pictures of last years Blues Festival on our Blues Festival Gallery page here

Visit the StowBlues website at www.stowblues.co.uk

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The house and our opening weekend was recently reported on by the East Anglian Daily Times, including a video with our Director Tony Butler which you can watch on the East Anglian’s website EADT

Abbot’s Hall will be open year round from this weekend onwards. For more details contact the museum on 01449 612229 or via our contact us page.

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For more information, contact the Museum on enquries@eastanglianlife.org.uk or 01449 612229

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We’ll have lots going on to keep all the family amused this easter, with an Easter egg hunt and lots of art activities and games on Sunday 8th April. Our newly refurbished Activities Room will be open and bustling with Easter fun. Try your hand at the Egg Shy or see if you can beat your family at an egg and spoon race. Have a go at designing an Easter egg and solve the Easter Hunt clues to claim your eggy prize!

Families can also get back to nature. This Easter people of all ages can plant a seed for spring at our seed workshop. The nature trail will also be open – keep an eye out for White Egrets, Herons, Ducks and, if you are very lucky, Otters.

Food and refreshments are available in our on-site cafe The Osier or you are welcome to bring a picnic to eat enjoying the wonderful views across the museum’s 80 acre site.

Enquiries to:     enquiries@eastanglianlife.org.uk  or Tel: 01449 612229

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The military advisor for programmes such as ‘Downton Abbey,’ ‘All the King’s Men’, and stage productions of Michael Morpurgo’s ‘War Horse’, Taff also has trenches outside of Ipswich which have been used in numerous programmes and movies, as well as a number of documentaries. Known for his attention to detail and accuracy, Taff Gillingham is a sought out expert in his field, and we’re lucky enough to welcome his talk on Remembrance, ‘The Great War, A Very British View.’

Held at the Museum of East Anglian Life, tickets are just £7.50 and include a cheese and wine supper. All funds raised will go to the Museum.

Tickets are available to purchase from Stowmarket Tourist Information, 01449 676800

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The Museum of East Anglian Life opens for the 2012 season with its annual free Stowmarket day on the 25^th March, with a special 25% discount on all Season Tickets.

With Historic traction engines in steam, family activities and demonstrations of 19^th Century printing, Stowmarket day provides the perfect opportunity for locals to see the Museum come alive and check out what’s new around the Museum.

This year will be very special one in the life of the Museum as it finally sees the opening of Abbots Hall just a few short weeks after Open Day. The £3m restoration project of the beautiful Queen Anne House, Abbots Hall, has seen the creation of a 9 room exhibition centre, a working walled garden and the restoration of two derelict workers cottages giving a snapshot into the home life of a rural worker. Museum Director Tony Butler says “this is probably the Museum’s most important development for 30 years. Displays in the Hall will explore the ideas of home and belonging in East Anglia. We’ll also have a new temporary exhibition programme which will host a series of new displays kicking off with Simon Costin’s Museum of British Folklore.

“The Abbot’s Hall really raises the standard of all our other activities around the museum. We’ve also re-equipped facilities for schools and we also plan to have more people demonstrating crafts on site and more activities for families.

“A season ticket enables unlimted access to the site during opening hours for a whole year, a £25 for an adult and £55 for a family we think this offers great value, especially if you take advantage of the 25% discount period at the end of March.  There has never been a better time to be a Season Ticket holder.”

The Museum will also hold its popular events programme. After the success of last year’s Blues Festival, we will once again be playing host to this fantastic live music event, complete with a Real Ale bar, as well as our ever popular Easter Fun Day, Beer Festival, Traditional Music Day, Bonfire Night and a range of family and children’s activities throughout the year.

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It’s a very special building, not just to all of us here at the Museum, but also to the people of Stowmarket, and we know that when we open the doors to this Eighteenth Century Queen Anne style house, many will be be waiting to see what has been achieved using the Heritage grant which has helped fund this ambitious project.

We’ll be revealing a nine-room exhibition centre which celebrates everything that makes East Anglia special, and all of those figures that are entwined in the rich history of this part of the country, from Robert Ransome to Lady Eve Balfour, George Ewart Evans and beyond. We’re looking at what East Anglia means to the people that live there, with powerful and meaningful displays which capture the heart within the history.

As well as the house itself, we’ve also seen the restoration of Crowe St Cottages, which housed workers from the house. The cottages will represent the lives of those that lived there, giving an physical example of social history.

We cannot wait for the grand opening next year, years of preparation and hard work are finally coming to fruition in a project which is giving a whole new lease of life to a brilliantly well deserved building. We hope that our supporters and current visitors, will join the many new visitors that are sure to visit the house, in showing your support with a visit to Abbot’s Hall in 2012. We’ll keep you informed on all the dates closer to the time.

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And, if you want to capture the true Christmas spirit, a plastic tree just won’t do it!   Nothing says Christmas quite like that authentic Christmas tree smell when you walk through your front door, we have a fine selection of trees for sale for you to choose.

Christmas trees will be on sale alongside Santa’s grotto, again on Saturdays during December.

Santa’s grotto will cost £2 and will include a small gift

For more details Tel: 01449 612229

Website: www.eastanglianlife.org.uk

Email: enquiries@eastanglianlife.org.uk

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On Friday 25^th November from 12pm until 7pm, the Museum of East Anglian life will be getting in the Christmas spirit with our Christmas Event, including a Christmas craft fayre, Santas grotto and as always our beautiful Christmas trees on sale.

With our craft fayre, we will have a selection of quality craft stalls, selling a variety of goods that will make interesting and original Christmas gifts. Held within our beautiful thirteenth century tithe barn, and with free entry, it truly is worth popping in and seeing what’s on offer.

Old Saint Nick is waiting for you to pay him a visit! Santa and his faithful elf will be here to add a bit of Christmas magic into you and your children’s lives. Santa will be available on the 25^th November, and subsequently on every Saturday up until Christmas

If you want to capture the true Christmas spirit, a plastic tree just won’t do it! Nothing says Christmas quite like that authentic Christmas tree smell when you walk through your front door, so come along and check out our fine selection of trees for sale. Christmas trees will be on sale alongside Santa’s grotto.

With just one month till the day itself, the Museum of East Anglian life’s Christmas craft fayre is the perfect place to find some of your Christmas essentials, as well as joining us in a bit of Christmas spirit and celebration.

Entry to the Craft fayre is free of charge.

Santas grotto will cost £2 and will include a small gift

For more details Tel: 01449 612229

Website: www.eastanglianlife.org.uk

Email: enquiries@eastanglianlife.org.uk

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Gates open at 6:30pm when you will be able to enjoy the sights and smells of traction engines in steam, and a selection of Old Tyme Amusements from an East Anglian Fairground Family. The bonfire will be lit on the top field at 7pm and the fireworks will start at 7:30pm.

Food and refreshments will be available throughout the event.

Tickets will be available in advance from the Mid-Suffolk Tourist Information Centre in Stowmarket – Adults: £4, Children: £3, Special Family ticket: £12 (2 adults and up to 3 children) or alternatively buy your tickets on the night – Adults: £4.50 and Children: £3.50 (no family ticket on the night).

For further information about this or any event at the Museum, please contact:

Tourist Information Centre, Phone:  01449 676800

OR

Patsy Cane Office Manager

Phone: 01449 612229 or email: patsy.cane@eastanglianlife.org.uk

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