Mark your calendars for their Community Day on the 23rd
The National Museum of Bermuda (NMB) is opening its gates to all residents for free during the month of February.
The initiative, ‘Free for February’, sponsored by RenaissanceRe and Butterfield, is now in its twelfth year.
NMB Executive Director Elena Strong stated: “Eliminating the barrier of admission allows for increased access for residents to engage with and explore Bermuda’s complex and diverse past. Also, non-profit and private partnerships like this are essential as we carry out our work as a vital community education resource.”
Later this month, NMB will host a free Community Day on Sunday, February 23, from 10am to 3pm. The event will include food vendors, door prizes, interactive art and craft activities, games, a family yoga class, artist talks, dolphin demonstrations, Native American dancing and Gombeys.
Of the partnership, Jody Feldman, managing director of Butterfield, said: “We are proud to continue our support for NMB and all they do to create meaningful education opportunities for Bermudians of all ages.”
A spokesperson for RenaissanceRe added, “Museums are essential educational resources for our community. By understanding our history, we can put the present into context and better prepare ourselves for the future.”
During February, museum goers, at no cost, can explore NMB’s permanent exhibits, which cover a diverse range of topics, including Bermuda’s cultural links with the West Indies and the Azores, trans-Atlantic slavery and slavery in Bermuda, the island’s defence heritage, shipwrecks and early settlement, the construction of Dockyard, and more.
An NMB spokesperson said the newest temporary exhibit to take up residence at the museum is ‘STONE: From Bermuda to Charleston‘, a solo exhibit by Bermudian architect and artist John Gardner.
“The exhibit explores the legacy of Bermuda limestone and how it has shaped two distinct architectural worlds across the Atlantic: Bermuda’s iconic, white-roofed homes and Charleston, South Carolina’s historic structures built during the 17th and 18th centuries, ” the spokesperson explained.
“Through a collection of triptychs of landscapes and Bermuda limestone, Gardner explores the cultural and architectural links between these two regions, proving new insights into Bermuda and stone’s far-reaching impact. His exhibit also serves to engage the visitor though archival photographs. historical panels, and video interviews. “
To take advantage of Free for February, Bermuda residents should bring proof of residency, such as a driver’s licence or utility bill.
NMB is open daily from 10am to 5pm (last admission at 4pm).
